The Burden of Confidentiality
by kathey'ssis
Summary: Jenny and Chris are still the ones to come to when you have a boo boo but when their asked to keep a secret will they know who to share it with and can they handle the reprocutions.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters, But I sure enjoy inviting them out to play but I promise to send them home in time for supper unless they get a call that is.**

**I've been thinking long and hard about which of the stories I have in my head to write next and haven't been able to decide so I'm going to submit the first chapter of four of them and set the goal to write two chapters a week. I'm sure the reviews will let me know which story the readers want me to focus on but I promise I will finish each one eventually. So let me know which story you want me to finish first.**

**The Burden of Confidentiality**

Young Jenny Desoto knelt next to her brother Chris who was expertly decorated with realistic looking cosmetic wounds as she demonstrated how to hold pressure to stop bleeding for the benefit of the camera crew just a few feet away. Standing behind her leaning on the squad were her father and his partner, Roy Desoto and Uncle Johnny Gage, both were so puffed up with pride with the two children they were about to burst the buttons on their perfectly pressed uniforms.

"And as soon as the Paramedics get there they can take over," Jenny gave the big boys their cue.

Roy and John then walked forward and squatted down next to the children, "Trained professionals will respond as quickly as possible when ever we're called but there are things you can do while you're waiting that can make a big difference."

"The Los Angeles County Fire Department is sponsoring first responder classes to help you to know what to do and what not to do until we or others like us arrive. Just call the number on your screen to learn about the next available class in your area," John repeated his speech.

"And remember if someone as small as me can do it so can you." Jenny added with a grin as she stood next to her favorite Paramedics in the world with her hands covered with fake blood.

"Cut! That's a wrap," a Voice behind the camera shouted and Chris sat up and pulled his fake wound off of his upper arm.

"Do I get to take a shower in the fire station?" he asked with excitement, it was clear that he thought taking a shower in the fire station was just reward for his part in the public announcement commercial he had willingly participated in.

Captain Hank Stanley and the rest of the men at station 51 along with the children's mother, giggled from their position out of camera range position. "Be our guest," Hank called out, "You're dad can show you how to work things."

"And Kid, Make sure you leave some hot water for the rest of us poor working slobs." Chet added to get Chris to grin even larger while Marko placed his hand on the jokers shoulder and pushed him off balance.

As a response to all the press young Jennifer was getting with her first aid exploits the news stations and the fire department came together to sponsor some first aid classes that focused on what to do until the professionals arrived at the scene. Once they had everything ready to go donations of TV time and film crews came in from everywhere to make 12 commercials to advertise the classes and get the program off the ground. Both Chris and Jenny Desoto were younger than the recommended age to take the classes but since they were the spokes children they were also the first ones certified. The Certification card which Jenny proudly carried with her at all times in her first aid bag filled with triangular bandages made from old sheets in all colors and prints.

Of the twelve commercials Jenny had been the lead focus in five, while Chris had been the focus in four, mostly wearing his scout uniform. Dr. Brackett and Dixie teamed up together for one and the rest used various other adults and professionals through out the county. Using still shots from the commercials several different posters were to be printed up and would be spread through out the valley being placed in every public building and School and anywhere else they could get them up.

Roy helped his son to his feet and guided him toward the shower while the rest of the crew made short work of cleaning up the staged accident scene in front of the Squad. Johnny helped Jenny wash her hands off in the kitchen sink with her mother looking on.

When things were cleaned up Mike stuck his head in the bathroom to see Roy standing with his hand on the shower door and a towel over his shoulder. They both shared a silent smile at the shadow behind the door that was much shorter than they were used to.

"Cap wants to know if you're ready to go back in service?" Mike fulfilled his assigned mission.

Roy still grinning just nod his head and Mike returned to relay the message to his Captain.

Captain Stanley had assigned the two actors their own lockers for the day at the station to make their time that much more special for them and when Chris was done in the shower his dad helped him wrap a towel around his chest and guided him toward the locker were his street, er school clothes were hung.

Roy sat on the bench in front of the lockers watching his son get dressed but his mind was miles and over a year away.

As proud as he was of his children and what they've been able to do with the basic first aid that they know he was still afraid of them taking on more than they could handle and all the commercials they were making were going to make them someone to go to in an emergency. Why just over a year ago some pedophile came to the school looking for Jenny and saying he needed some first aid. Every part of Roy's insides were in conflict with each other. He did however have to agree that the program his children were helping to promote was a good one and worthy of their time and efforts.

Roy watched as his son tucked his shirt in his pants and placed his foot on the bench to tie his shoes then Roy took a comb from his pocket and tidied up his son's hair for him, before helping him to load his duffel bag and empty his locker before grabbing Jenny's jacket out of the locker that was assigned to her for their stay.

Once the children were all cleaned up JoAnne loaded them into the family station wagon and hauled them in to school late. They would be late today but it was approved by the school and JoAnne was committed to make sure they got their missed school work completed once school was out.

As she watched her children in the rear view mirror she was glad this was the last of the commercials they were to do. Although she was so proud of them, all the media attention was going to their heads and she wanted to keep them well grounded. She was also thrilled that in the nine commercials her children had done this was only the third time they had missed any school. The film companies had been willing to do several of them on Saturdays and once the kids had a couple under their belts and could do them in fewer takes they did a couple after school.

Roy and Johnny had juggled their work schedules around so that they could have the day off to take part in them. The one they had just finished was the only one filmed while they were on shift.

The three Desotos walked in to the school office just as the recess bell rang so the children were encouraged out side while JoAnne signed them in and talked to their teachers to get their missed home work.

JoAnne was just leaving the school building with an arm load of school work when she heard sirens and looked up to see a squad and an engine pulling up and parking near the play ground. Scanning the play ground she could see a group of students standing in a circle near the swing sets and with out asking she knew her two were in the middle of the circle. Feeling confident that they were providing aid not then injured JoAnne calmly walked toward the playground as the teachers worked to disperse the group and get them back into their classrooms.


	2. Chapter 2

Confidentiality 2

As the crowd was being thinned by the teachers and firemen JoAnne moved closer to the action. When she was where she could easily see over the remaining heads she could see her daughter taking a blood pressure on a boy on the ground. Chris was sitting on his feet with the boy's head between his knees as the paramedics were moving in and opening up their equipment. Once she was done Jenny pulled the earpieces of her stethoscope out of her ears and down around her neck before moving over to tell the paramedics what she found. JoAnne notice the suspicious look at one of the teachers standing out of the way and wondered what was going on.

After relaying vitals the Chief reached under Jenny's arms and helped her to her feet and after telling her thank you for her help was nudging her toward the school building.

JoAnne smiled at the look on her little girls face. She had been dismissed once again because of her age and she felt dejected. But her defiant little girl turned back and got close to the Paramedic on the bio=phone and talked softly in his ear. Then turned and walked toward the school building with her bag on her shoulder and her stethoscope still around her neck.

Jo shook her head with a smile and turned to go to her car when the fire Captain stopped her. "Ma'am can you tell me what you know about this accident?"

"Nothing really," Jo responded, "I saw you roll in and knew my children were involved some how so I came over to investigate."

"Your children were involved? How?" the captain questioned.

"They are the two first responders that you just sent back to class."

"The girl with the blood pressure cuff?"

"Yep, she's mine."

"Does she really know how to use that thing?"

"Yes Sir. She's quite good at it, my husband taught her."

"Does your husband work in the medical field?"

"He's a fireman/Paramedic out of station 51, Roy DeSoto." JoAnne was surprised that he didn't recognize her but then she wasn't part of his crew family.

"Oh yes I know DeSoto, so that young lady is the mini medic that's been in the news so much this last year?"

"I'm afraid so and she has a swollen head as a result."

Jo and the fire captain diverted their attention to the young boy who was now on a back board and being lifted on to an ambulance gurney.

"Well, I best go and inform my medics that they can pay attention to what ever she told them," the captain gave as a farewell.

"Yes, I best be on my way too, the laundry and dishes await my attention."

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Once seated at her desk Jenny slowly took her stethoscope from around her neck and wrapped it around her hands before placing it back in her bag and zipping it closed. With her head hung low Jenny remained quiet and withdrawn only looking up to see the face of the little girl in the back row who was very quietly sobbing.

The teacher seemed concerned about Jennifer's with drawn attitude and made a point to go to her side frequently and talk to her. "You did a really good job of helping that boy on the playground today. I'm sure he's going to be alright."

"Yeah, he will be," Jennifer confirmed, making sure she was just loud enough so that his sister in the class could hear her. "His pupils were both the same size and they both got smaller when I shined the light in 'em. But I think he's got some broken bones."

"Well I'm sure the Doctors at the hospital know what to do to make him better," The teacher added with a gentle hug for her tenderhearted hero of the class.

Jenny knew she was being patronized and didn't like it, she knew well that the boy would be quickly patched up and casted. It was what would happen after that that she was uncertain about.

On the bus ride home Jenny pleaded with her brother to sit next to him but he wanted to sit with his friends and talk to them about the commercials he had done and being able to shower in a real fire station.

She took the first open seat and found herself next to the new girl in her class, the sister of the boy who had been injured when he got in the way of the swings. The girl had been at her school now for nearly a month but hadn't really made a lot of friends. She was quiet and shy and seemed to prefer to sit and watch instead of getting in and playing. Jenny noticed that her clothes were old and wearing in places but they were clean. A patch that looked like a flower had been sewn over a whole in the knee of her pants and her toe was peaking out of a hole in her shoe.

Looking to make sure no one was looking at her Jenny placed her medical bag to hide her actions as she reached out and held the hand of the sad little girl she was sitting next to.

The Girl named Tracy got off on the next stop and Jenny watched her go not knowing what to say or what to do.

When the bus arrived at her stop she got off and waited for her brother who was still talking to his friends and didn't even seem to know she was there as they walked the short distance to their home. Friends pealed off as they passed their house and the rest kept going after Chris and Jenny turned up their sidewalk.

Once inside the house there was the customary hugs for mom, the expected after school snack and the reminder that they still had to do the school work they missed while they were 'on set' that morning.

Jenny drank the milk that was placed before her but instead of eating the cookies she asked her mom if she could call Miss McCall and find out how Allen was doing.

JoAnne had her answer to why her daughter was so withdrawn and quiet. "Of course sweetheart; go right a head."

"Could I use the phone in your room?"

This was a surprise request from her daughter. Jo took a deep breath and thought for just a second. "I don't know why you should need to do that young lady."

"I just want to tell her something and I don't want anyone to hear, it's kinda privet." Jenny gave as an explanation.

"Well, alright then," JoAnne consented but was real tempted to listen in on the other line. Instead she trusted that Dixie would do the right thing and watched as her daughter climbed the stairs to the master bedroom and shut the door behind her.

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"Hello, Rampart Emergency Department, Nurse McCall speaking." Dixie turned her attention away from the lab results she was placing in the proper charts, to answer the phone. "Well hello there miss DeSoto. How are you doing this fine afternoon? You don't have a patient coming in now do you?"

"A, yes he arrived here earlier today and I got a good report about your first aid from the paramedics that brought him in."

"Yes he's going to be just fine but I can't tell you what his injuries were because that would be against patient doctor confidentiality." Dixie explained to the inquisitive young lady on the other end of the phone line. "Confidentiality, well that means I'm not allowed to talk about a patients injuries to anyone other than the doctor who's taking care of him." "Sorry sweetheart but I have to go, someone needs my help."

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Jenny sat on her parent's bed and held the disconnected phone in her hands. Confidentiality was a big word and since she was a certified card carrying first responder she needed to understand just how it worked and in a hurry.

When the phone started to beep letting Jenny know it had been off the hook too long she decided she had better get some expert advice so she dialed the fire Station.

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"Oh Hi there Jenny, Marco responded to the young girl who had just identified herself on the phone. Is there a problem we need to help you with?" the only other time Jenny had called the station that Marco knew about was when she needed to be told how to deliver a baby.

"Well no, your daddy's not here right now, he's on a rescue." "Sure Captain Stanley is here just a minute."

Marco placed the call on hold and hurried to the captain's office, "Cap, Roy's daughter is on the phone, she said that she needs to understand something to know what to do next and when I told her, her dad was on a run she asked to speak with you."

Jenny DeSoto asking for help of any kind got the attention of everyone in the station especially the Captain. "What line is she on?"

"3"

"Stand ready to respond." Hank instructed as he picked up the phone and pushed the right button, "Hi there Jenny what can I do for you?"

Hank let out a silent sigh of relief as he rested back in his chair and waved his lineman off. "Yes I can understand that, Confidentiality is indeed a big word let's see if I can explain it so that you can understand."

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"Can I see if I understand right?" Jenny asked as she sat thoughtfully on her parent's bed. "I'm not supposed to tell anybody about the people I do first aid on accept someone who is taking over for me or the Doctor, So that means I shouldn't tell my momma, or my Daddy if he's not there with the squad, and not my brother or any of the kids at school right?"

"But I can never go wrong by telling the Doctor even if I make a mistake about what I think is wrong?" "Thank you Captain Stanley."

Jenny had one more question for her father's Captain. "People have to do what you tell them to do don't they?" "Could you tell some one to stop hurting another person?" "How do I get the police to believe me?" "I don't think I can tell a teacher, they won't believe anyone as little as me."

Jenny sat on the floor next to her parent's bed thinking hard about what Captain Stanley said and after a few minutes she found a little bravery and called the number for Rampart once again.

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Back at Station 51 the Squad with two tired Paramedics backed into the bay and Captain Stanley was standing in the doorway to the office as they made sure they were in the right spot before turning off the ignition.

"Roy, could I see you in my office for a minute?" Hank called as soon as the door to the squad was unlatched.

"Sure Cap," Roy responded, it was the only response he could make.

"Shut the door and have a seat," Hank instructed as he found his seat and made himself comfortable as possible.

"You're not in any trouble," Hank informed his man once he was in his seat, "I just had an interesting phone call and I think you need to know about it."

"Who was the call from Cap?"

"One Jennifer DeSoto,"

"What—is something wrong?" Roy was stunned.

"She asked for you first but when you weren't here she asked to speak to me. She wanted some help understanding what Confidentiality meant and how it worked."

"Confidentiality?" Roy questioned not only his captain but he had no idea why his daughter would need to know about that.

"Yeah, I did my best to try and explain it to her and she told me how she understood what I had said. She's got the idea that she can't tell you or your wife unless you're on the squad that takes over the patient but I told her that she should always tell her parents if she had any questions about anything. Then she asked me if I could make someone stop hurting another person."

Cap leaned forward on his knees and looked his Senior Paramedic in the eyes. "I hate to tell you this Roy but I have a very funny feeling that your Daughter has gotten herself in the middle of a Child abuse case."

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In a busy emergency Room at Rampart General a flustered Nurse placed a phone call on hold and summoned Dr. Brackett's attention. "Dr. Brackett, there's a girl on the phone who say's her name is Jennifer DeSoto and she's asking to talk with the doctor who treated Allen Baldwin, from the sound of her voice she has to be just a child."

"I know who she is, I'll talk to her," Kell smiled at the frustration Nurse Betty was feeling and knew she didn't understand the abilities of the young first responder she had been talking to.

"Hello there miss First Responder Jenny, What can I do for you?

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Still alone in her parent's bedroom Jenny clutched the phone with both hands and took a deep breath, "I know something about the accident that Allen was in today and I think it's important. He didn't walk in front of the swing when he was hit. He was pushed, by a teacher."


	3. Chapter 3

Confidentiality 3

Kell Brackett's attention was focused completely on his conversation now. "Jenny, are you sure?"

"Yes Dr. Brackett, I saw him do it, I just got back to school from making our commercial and they sent us out to play. I saw Allen hanging onto the support bar to the swing set and wanted to ask him if his arm was feeling better so I was walking toward him when Mr. Bunker reached over and shoved him into the swings."

"So you knew about Allen's broken arm?" Brackett questioned, "When did you know about his arm."

"He hurt it when he was pushed off the monkey bars by Mark Jackson last week. I put a splint on it and told him to go to the school nurse to get an ice pack on it until his mom could take him to the doctor. I thought it was broken but Mr. Bunker said it was just a sprain and wouldn't let him go to the nurse, Mr. Bunker just made him go back to class, he wouldn't even let him call his mom to come get him."

"I tried to watch him and help him make it feel better when he was at school; I really think I Bunker was wrong about it just being sprained. It was hurting too much and for too long. Did you say it was broken?"

"Yes Jenny it was," Dr. Bracket answered but then wished he hadn't.

"What can I do to make grown up people listen to me?" Jenny voice had a sob mixed in.

That was a tough question to answer but Dr. Brackett knew he needed to come up with something. "You can always call here at the hospital Jenny. We just might be able to work at it from our end."

For the next few minutes Kell listened to the concerned little girl who was able to tell him about more injuries the boy had gotten at school. The names, Mark Jackson and I Bunker were repeated often. Then Kell gave Jenny some advice about how to keep herself safe as well as her two new friends. "Do everything you can to stay in a group and look out for each other. Don't let this teacher or this Mark Jackson get any of you alone. I'm going to talk with some people here and see what we can do from our end Okay Jenny."

"Okay Dr. Brackett, My Mommy just came in and she wants to talk to you."

"Dr. Brackett I'm sorry she's used up so much of your time, she just told me she wanted to talk to Dixie and make sure her friend was all right."

"There is nothing to apologize for JoAnne. That young daughter of yours was able to give me some very important information that will help one of our patients a lot. Hopefully she'll tell you about it and what I said but I need to get to a meeting now. Is there anything else I can do for you?"

"No thank you Dr. Brackett, I'll let you get to your meeting," JoAnne then hung up with a sigh.

She turned to her daughter and noticed the same worried look she had when she came into the bedroom to make her secret call but now there was more. Her young daughter looked like she had the weight of the world on her shoulders.

"Okay young lady, what's going on here?" JoAnne stood over her daughter with her hands on her hips.

"I can't tell you Mommy, it would break the confidentiality," Jenny said, deliberately enunciating the last word, and then slumped down on the floor at the side of her parent's bed and wrapped her arms around her legs holding them tight to her chest. JoAnne began to get really worried. Not knowing what else to do she slid to the floor next to her daughter and pulled her into her arms and held her tight.

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At the hospital Kell left the phone at the nurse's station and headed straight for his office. When he was close enough to see the door he could see that Dr. Early and a representative from child protective services were just leaving his office.

"Wait please," Kell called out and hurried a bit faster. "I just got some information about the Allen Baldwin case that we need to discuss."

The three of them then entered into the office again, Dr. Early and the social worker sat down on the sofa and Kell rested his legs by leaning on his desk.

"I just got a phone call from a witness to the accident this morning and the person who originally splinted his wrist last week." Kell began he then repeated everything Jenny had told him relying on notes he had taken for dates or as was usually the case other activities that had taken place. The social worker still had a lot of follow up to do to complete the information.

The social worker took copious notes and even requested Dr. Brackett's original notes to add to her file she then asked the question, "Who is this witness and where can I find her?"

Kell knew what was going to happen next but he couldn't with hold the information. "Her name is Jennifer DeSoto," Kell paused and let out a sigh, "She's seven years old but she understands an amazing amount of first aid and a lot of the kids at her school trust her."

"We're talking about the paramedic's kid who's been in the news from time to time over the last year or so right?"

Both Kell and Joe nod their head.

"Talk about one abused child trying to save another."

"What do you mean by that?" Kell jumped to his feet in a defensive move.

"I assure you ma'am that little girl is not abused," Joe fallowed through with a much calmer tone to his voice.

"Oh really, what do you call it when a father forces his young daughter to learn medical terminology far beyond her years and then puts her in danger to use it," The social worker defended her claim.

Kell was ready to yell at the person before him when Joe cut him off with a calmer tone. "I can testify that Roy did not force his daughter to learn anything. Most of what she learned she learned by watching her father teach her brother's boy scout troop, Unlike most kids her age she takes it seriously. The dangerous situation she got into she got herself into long before her father was on scene. I will add, that if she hadn't climbed under that shed to pinch off that lacerated femoral artery that boy would have been long dead before the paramedics got there let along before they could get to him."

"I will also add that because of the excellent care that boy got before professional help could get to him he now still has his leg and is a health happy child able to run and play with his friends and if you ask him which leg he hurt he has to stop and think about it before he can tell you." Kell added with a little bit of venom in his voice.

"Look," Joe took over the conversation again. "You're undoubtedly going to be talking with this young lady, all we ask is that you keep an open mind and I'm sure you'll see for yourself just how genuine she is, and how much her parents love her and worry about her."

"Come on now, I've seen how they doll that little girl up with fancy clothes and fancy hair do's and make up every time she get a TV interview. Don't tell me her parents aren't trying to show her off."

"That is deliberate," Kell sat down again and spoke more calmly, "It was something her parents were advised to do by some one who works with the department's public relations office. See last year after an incident at the school a known pedophile showed up at the school asking for her and telling kids he needed first aid. They do the fancy stuff for when she's on camera so that she will be harder to recognize in her everyday life."

The social worker remained silent for a while as she thought about what to say next, she knew she had made some accusations that she didn't have the evidence to back up but she still thought the little girl they were talking about was being exploited. Regardless of her feelings she was under obligation to check out the story she had heard so she chose to minimize her confrontation at the time.

"I still don't agree with you, but regardless of my feelings there are going to be big issues with these statements. First of all Mr. Bunker is a very popular teacher at that school, second of all he has already stated that he reached out to pull the young boy out of the path of the swing and I don't think that there is a judge anywhere who is going to take the word of a 7 year old over the word of a trusted teacher. As far as I'm concerned this little girl is just trying to get more attention by making these claims."

The conversation was completed and the social worker stepped out of the office leaving Kell and Joe sharing disappointed and troubled glances with each other as they shook their heads.

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At the station Roy and Cap were still sequestered in the office listing options for their next move when it was determined to call head quarters and inquire with the Crisis intervention department for advice on how to proceed.

The first person they talked to wasn't sure what advice to give so he took the information at hand and said he would ask his supervisor and call them back shortly.

Roy and Hank were sitting in the office waiting for the phone to ring and when it did it was picked up on the first ring. Roy held his breath as Hank identified himself and the station then noticed the phone being handed to him instead of being put on speaker phone.

JoAnne was on the line frightened, upset and demanding to know why Roy's captain would tell their daughter not to talk to them about anything.

"That's not exactly what happened Jo," Roy tried to soften her up and calm her down so that she would listen and understand the explanation he was about to give. "Jenny called here earlier while I was out on a run so she asked to talk to Cap to get an explanation of what confidentiality meant and how it worked. When he was done explaining she told him how she understood it and then he tired to get her to understand that she could talk to you and I about anything but he was afraid that she didn't understand that."

As Roy was listening to JoAnne catch her breath and sort through what she had been told Captain Stanley made an offer, "I'm the one who caused that problem perhaps if I talked with her again I could get her straitened out this time."

Before he could hand the phone over to his captain Roy had to answer a question himself first, "Jo I don't know why Jenny is worried about confidentiality right now, maybe if Cap can explain to her that it's alright to talk to us we can find out."

Roy was just handing over the phone to his captain when the tones went off and rang long as seven stations were called out for a gas explosion at a factory. Instead of talking to Jenny Cap was only able to apologize to JoAnne about having to go before he hung up.

There were nearly a hundred employees injured and/or trapped by the explosion and no real understanding about what had caused it or if there was a chance of another one. Roy and Johnny spent a lot of time extricating victims from the rubble and sending them out to the units set up out side to treat them. Rampart and another Hospital each sent a Dr. to help with on sight treatment and triage and everyone long lost count of how many ambulances came and went. Making a head count would be assigned to some one else. The only real good news was that few of the victims received any real burns just a lot of broken bones and a few internal injuries.

It was dark when the last ambulance pulled out and they were given the order to bring the hose in. they had just about got it all loaded back in the trucks when one of the police officers looking over the shoulder of the inspector stepped on a weaken section of flooring and went through to the basement and had to be rescued and taken in to the hospital. When the squad returned its occupants were in desperate need of a shower, nourishment and several hours of unconsciousness. The rest of the station had just finished their showers and were sitting down to a quick meal of canned soup and sandwiches as the squad backed into place. As Johnny drug himself out of the squad Cap sent him to the showers and then leaned into the open driver side window to talk to Roy.

"Headquarters called, they said the best thing to do is to tell Jenny to be sure to take all of her injuries to a teacher or the school nurse and let their system follow through."

Roy lifted his watch into view to check the time, "Jenny should have been in bed hours ago, I still better go give Jo a call."

With that Cap pulled away from the door to allow Roy to get out and went back to his paperwork.

Roy found that JoAnne was waiting for his call and she picked up on the first ring to keep from waking the children. First Roy apologized for taking so long to get back to her the JoAnne explained that she understood because she had seen them on the news.

Jo spent the rest of the conversation before Roy was sent to the showers apologizing for what she had said in her first conversation and telling her husband that Jenny would only admit that she had told Dr. Brackett every thing and he said he would take care of things from his end and told her what to do in the mean time.

Roy explained Cap's suspicions and the advice given by Headquarters and they both agreed that Jenny and her parents needed to sit down together once she got home from school tomorrow.

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The next morning Jenny proved unusually difficult to get out of bed in the morning but her mother some how managed to get her dressed and to the bus on time with a piece of toast in her hands. There wasn't time to pass on the information her father had for her JoAnne just hoped what ever Dr. Brackett told her to do was the same thing.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Jenny was reluctant to get on the school bus but knew if she didn't her mother would just drive her to school. Entering the isle of the bus Jenny spied Tracy sitting by herself and being taunted by those around her and Jenny decided to do as Dr. Brackett had instructed her. She sat down next to Tracy even though there were other places on the bus for her to sit.

When the bus arrived at school ten minutes before the first bell Jenny coaxed Tracy to a quiet place to talk where she told her what Dr. Brackett had told her to do and the frightened Tracy agreed to stay close to Jenny.

What Jenny never understood was that her status of a TV news hero and commercial movie star made her a roll model at school and her willingness to spent time with Tracy elevated her status tremendously in the eyes of the others. She also didn't realize that allying her self with a target would make her a target too.

While they waited for the school bell to ring the two girls talked about Tracy's brother and his injuries. Tracy didn't really say a lot she didn't have Jenny's understanding of medical things and really just knew that her brother was allowed to come home from the hospital and that now her mother was going to miss a couple of days of work to take care of him but that wasn't really so bad because her mother didn't feel well either.

The first part of the school day was spent taking a math test and then talking about a chapter in their history books. When the recess bell rang several girls approached Jenny asking her to play jump rope with them and Jenny quickly said yes but not before reaching out and taking a hold of Tracy's arm pulling her into the group, cementing her place as Tracy's protector.

Tracy willingly spent the whole recess twirling the rope while the girls took turn jumping and even though Jenny noticed Mr. Bunker watching her friend close the only time he approached her was when she went to get a drink before lining up to go back to class. Jenny noticed his advance on the lone girl and hurried to walk with her and get a drink also before putting her arm around the girls shoulder and guiding her to the line up.

During lunch Jenny again pulled Tracy into her group and although the group was quieter than normal a friend of Jenny's was a friend of theirs.

Jenny and Tracy were a little slower than the rest of the girls getting their lunch eaten mostly because they talked as much as they ate. When the rest of the girls left to go play Tracy confided in Jenny that she was worried about her mom and Brother. After depositing their lunch trays, Jenny took her friend to the trusted school nurse and helped her request permission to call home.

With Jenny's aid and friendship with the school nurse permission was given and Tracy made a call home from right there in the nurse's office.

Jenny helped the nurse put away a box of supplies while Tracy talked in the office and when she was done the two girls walked together toward the outside door to play until it was time to go back to class.

Jenny could tell her friend was worried but the worried looked turned to true horror when they heard. "Tracy Baldwin, you get over here right now."

Both girls turned around to see Mr. Bunker standing there with a yard stick in his hand and Jenny didn't hesitate to take a hold of Tracy's arm and start running for the nearest outside door.

They managed to stay hidden in a spot Tracy had found until the bell rang and then the two girls hurried to be one of the first one's in line. Mr. Bunker still walked toward them with an angry look on his face and slapping his hand with the yard stick when another teacher walked up to him with a tight hold on the upper arm of the trouble making Mark Jackson.

"Mr. Bunker, I believe this boy is one of yours," the teacher's tone was one of anger and disgust herself. "I personally saw him lifting girl's dresses to look at their underwear; I suggest you take him to the office because if I do he's likely to be black and blue before he gets there."

Jenny couldn't help but notice that when Mr. Bunker took over the hold on the problem student that his hold was much gentler than the other teacher's was, but what brought the greatest relief to Jenny was that she and her friend were now in the clear at least until the next recess.

When the bell rang announcing the last recess of the day Jenny tried to get her teacher to allow her and Tracy to continue to work on their art project that they started. When she said no the two girls again made their way to the nurses office and Tracy was again given permission to call home. Again when they were making their way out side Mr. Bunker ordered Tracy by name to come to him and then refereed to Jenny as her friend asking her to come too.

Jenny turned a round and again noticed the yardstick in his hands and the intimidating way he slapped his palm with it. Again she took Tracy by the arm and together they ran into the girl's bathroom. Fortunately it was the school nurse that came into the bathroom to check on them and escorted them out and back to their class room just as the bell was ringing. Jenny watched and the nurse spoke privately with their teacher but when the teacher didn't say anything once she returned to the classroom Jenny began to relax.

When the bell rang signaling the end of the school day Jenny felt that it had lasted an entire week but even as tired as she felt she still had to help her friend through the gauntlet one more time.

Together the two girls dove into the mass of students heading out of the building, she was watching for Mr. Bunker so hard that she didn't notice that she and her friend had gotten separated in the crowd until they were out side. Once she was out of the building she reached out to hold her friends hand in preparation to run for the bus when she noticed that she wasn't there. When she couldn't find her Jenny did the next best thing she could think of and watched for Mr. Bunker, as long as Tracy wasn't with him she should be alright. As the doors to the bus opened Jenny was moved inside between other students and when everyone was in a seat Tracy was seen on the next row and three seats behind her. Jenny quickly crawled across the person who was sitting on the isle and went back to sit with Tracy. As the bus engine started and the bus pulled away Jenny let out a big sigh of relief but Tracy clearly didn't feel the same way.

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At the DeSoto residence Roy had been awake for about an hour in mental preparation to have a talk with his daughter and hopefully find out what she was dealing with before he and his wife made a move to step in. He was watching the clock and could almost hear the school bell ring as he started calculating the time it would take his children to get home. That's when the phone rang.

Roy listened to his wife answer the phone and heard her talking, "I'm sure there must be some misunderstanding, yes, yes, yes of course we'll meet with you. Yes tomorrow morning at ten, my husband and I will be there."

Roy could tell by the tone of his wife's voice that something was wrong but before they could talk about it there was a knock at the door.

Roy answered the door to find Captain Stanley standing on the door step as they noticed his truck parked at the curb. "Hi Cap, What brings you here?"

"Hi Roy, I still need to slay or at least tame that monster I created yesterday with your daughter. I figure you and your wife are planning to have a nice serious talk with her as soon as she gets home and I thought if I could straighten her out about talking to her parents she might open up to you a little better." Hank explained as JoAnne came up behind her husband as he listened. "I promise as soon as I get her to understand that it's alright to talk to you I'll leave and let you deal with this as a family."

"Thanks Cap but you didn't need to go out of your way," Roy motioned for his friend to enter.

"We do appreciate it though," JoAnne offered, "I couldn't get a word out of her last night."

"I'm sorry for that Jo, I promise you, I never intended for her to feel like she shouldn't talk with her parents I did try to explain to her that it was alright but I also got the feeling that she might take that stand once she'd hung up the phone," Hank explained.

"Thank you for your concern," JoAnne extended a hand of friendship, "The kids should be at the bus stop in about ten to fifteen minutes could I get you something to drink while you're waiting?"

After sharing a picture of lemonade and talking amongst themselves Roy and Hank made the short walk to the bus stop together to wait for the children.

As the other parents, mostly mothers talked amongst themselves, Roy rehearsed in his mind how he would send Chris on ahead so that he and Cap could peel off with Jenny for their little talk. They had talked about sending Chris to a friend's house but felt he likely knew something of the situation too and should be involved in the family discussion.

Hank stood at his side rehearsing in his mind the words he needed to use to get it through the little girl who thought she was a grown up's head that she needed to talk with her parents and let them help her deal with what she knew.

When the bus came around the corner both Roy and Hank stood erect in anticipation. The air brakes sounded and the bus doors opened and the kids began to file off the bus and greet their parents or just group together. Chris came off with four other boys talking amongst themselves about a baseball game that took place in PE where one of them had hit a home run. Not one of those boys seemed aware that anyone else was around until Roy placed his hand on his son's shoulder.

"Oh hi dad," then with some surprise, "Hi Mr. Stanley, Is everything all right?"

"Yes," Roy answered with a smile, "Why don't you and your friends go on a head and I'll come with Jen when she gets off."

"Okay dad," Chris answered and started to walk away with his friends as if their conversation had never been interrupted.

A few more children got off the bus and then the driver lifted a little boy with crutches down then as Roy waited for Jenny the bus doors closed and the bus started to pull away.

Stunned Roy ran after the bus and started pounding on the door before it was fully on the road. The bus driver opened the door to find out what this man wanted.

"My daughter didn't get off the bus," Roy talked quickly and with some concern.

Roy was invited on the bus to look for her and it didn't take him long to realize she wasn't on the bus. As the panic grew exponentially in his chest Roy pulled his wallet out and flipped to a picture of Jenny asking if he had seen her. The bus driver was embarrassed but he couldn't remember if she was on the bus today or not.

"Had anyone here seen Jenifer DeSoto today?" Roy called out for all on the bus to hear. No one answered and several of the kids just shook their heads.

Roy wiped his face with his shaking hands then turned to his Captain thankful he was there just the sight of him gave him focus.

The two men ran for Roy's house and once inside the door Roy picked up the phone and dialed the police.


	5. Chapter 5

For My Sis Kathey I write this chapter before any other. Thanks Sis for being my most loyal fan in what ever I do.

Chapter 5

When Jo heard her husband reporting that their daughter was missing she nearly went to pieces. Cap just took the phone from Roy and gave him a gentle shove in the direction of his wife. Roy held his wife and listened as Cap identified himself as a family friend and answered every question that was asked of him. When he noticed Chris standing in the hall way with terror all over his face Roy reached his arm out and beckoned him closer. When Chris came to his side he wrapped one arm around him and pulled him tight to his side.

"All right, we'll be waiting on the front lawn for them," Hank informed into the phone and then hung it up before turning to Roy and his family, "That asked if you have a recent picture of her and if you can have it ready" Hank relayed.

JoAnne knew right where to find one and ran to the closet where she pulled out a box and quickly found a nice glossy eight by ten and two attached five by sevens. Then everyone moved as one to the front lawn just as a police car pulled up with out sirens and two police officers got out.

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While her parents were on the verge of needing a squad themselves young Jenny was only four blocks away. When Tracy had told her that her brother hadn't been able to wake their mother up all afternoon Jenny felt the call of a first responder.

It's really no wonder that no one saw them get off even though they were seated in the middle of the bus they were the first ones off when it stopped and Tracy's stop and before the last student was off Jenny and Tracy had run nearly the full distance to Tracy's home.

Allen opened the door when he heard his sister trying her key and when they saw him he had tears in his eyes, "I think Mom's dying, I don't know what to do," he got out before Jenny ran through the door only asking where she was.

As soon as Jenny was in the bedroom she placed her hand on Mrs. Baldwin's temple then in a panic she moved for a carotid pulse and let out a slight sigh. She then placed her hand on the women's stomach before picking up the phone from the table at the side of the bed.

Pulling her card out of her bag that had all the phone numbers on it Jenny called the dispatch line and quickly and professionally requested a Squad and an ambulance. She had even remembered to look at the house number when she came in and, , "One of the nails on the last 6 has come out so it's upside down and looks like a 9." Jenny added. "Please tell them to hurry and can you connect me to Rampart emergency so I can tell them stuff and ask them what to do until the squad gets here?"

Jenny waited and waited for the connections to be made and then the phone at Rampart to be answered. When Jenny heard "Rampart Emergency Nurse McCall speaking," she was ready to go.

"Nurse Dixie, this is Jenny DeSoto, There is a really really sick lady here, her boy hasn't been able to wake her up all afternoon, she has not temple pulse but she does have a neck pulse. It is 140 fast and really soft. Her respirations are 20 and her face looks really white. There's lots of medicines on the table next to her bed but I don't know what she took, I only have a small blood pressure cuff but she has really skinny arms should I use it anyway and get blood pressure numbers.

00000

Dixie had responded to Jenny's declaration of a really really sick lady by pulling a note book over and taking notes of everything she said.

"Yes Jenny, use your cuff and get a blood pressure, it might not be totally accurate but it will give us an idea how sick the patient is." Dixie instructed then covered the phone and called, "Kell," before waving him over to the desk.

"Kell, I have Roy's daughter on the phone, she has a woman who hasn't been able to be woken up all afternoon pulse is 140 and weak, respirations 20 and very pale she says there's lots of medicine bottles by the bedside she's currently getting a BP with her ped's cuff. The call is being routed through fire dispatch and they assured me a squad and an ambulance are on the way to the location."

"Do you have and ETA on that squad, and what are the medicines on the bed side?"

"I'll ask, as soon as Jenny gets back on the phone."

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While Jenny had her stethoscope in her ears collecting a blood pressure reading there was a knock at the door.

Allen hurried to get it hoping to find an ambulance in front of the house but instead there was a nicely dressed lady with a notepad in her arms. "May I please speak with your mother," the woman asked.

"NO, she's really sick we're waiting for an ambulance to take her to a doctor." Allen responded and the woman gently pushed her way in and Allen led her to the bedroom.

When they entered the door Jenny was talking on the phone, "I got 78 on top of 40" she said totally baffling the new arrival. "Okay just a minute I'll check." Jenny then handed the phone to Tracy and climbed on the bed and rolling her little hand into a fist rubbed her knuckles in the middle of the women's chest. Mrs., Baldwin groaned and rolled her head a little but that was all the response Jenny could get.

She took the phone back from Tracy and looked at the new comer in the room.

"Who are you?" Jenny asked, and she asked with such authority in her voice that the woman answered.

"I'm Miss Marlow from Child Protective Services,"

"Do you know how to say the names of medicines?" Jenny responded.

"Yes, a lot of them,"

"Good you can tell the Doctor what all those medicines are," Jenny motioned to the bedside table then put the phone to her ear to report. "Dr. Brackett I rubbed her chest and she moaned but she didn't wake up, I think I can hear a siren coming but I'm not sure. There's a lady here from child protection something who says she can say the names of medicines so I'm going to let her tell you what they are."

Jenny then handed the phone to Miss Marlow and went back to the task of trying to place couch cushions under her patient's legs. Pulling the sheets and blankets out from their tucked in position under the mattress Jenny noticed something.

Interrupting Miss Marlow's count of the bottles of Heparin Jenny asked to talk with the doctor once again.

It took prompting from Dr. Brackett who had heard Jenny's request on the phone but she did hand the phone over.

"Dr. Brackett the lady has a really big bruise on her leg, there is a big lump with it that is bigger than an orange should I still lift her legs?" "Okay should I put a splint on it?"

The answer to both questions was no and then Jenny was given instructions to tell the paramedics to bring in their oxygen and give the phone back to Miss Marlow.

Even with her limited knowledge of medicine Miss Marlow was starting to put a few things together. "Dr. Brackett all of these medicines are sample bottles. There is a note here from the free clinic with instructions to take the Heparin and to stay off her feet and another note with instructions for Aspirin for a shoulder injury dated four days earlier, I'm also seeing several bottles of over the counter antacids in the waist basket at the side of the bed."

When the squad came around the corner they found Jenny standing on the front sidewalk waving both hands above her head and a stethoscope around her neck.

The passenger side paramedic got out of the cab and quickly knelt down next to Jenny, "Are you the one who called us?"

Jenny nod her head and started giving orders, "the lady is in the house first door on the,,," she had to turn around and think for just a second they turned back, "Left. Dr Brackett is on the phone waiting for you to talk to him and he said to tell you to be sure to take your oxygen in with you."

The paramedic was stunned by his instructions but followed them and grabbing his share of the needed supplies he led the way in the house with his partner following and carrying the rest of the load.

Just as the paramedics reached the door a police car pulled up and parked at an angle in front of the squad. The police officer that got out was quick to recognize the famous mini medic who currently had an APB out on her.

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At the DeSoto residence Hank had managed to get one of the police officer's attention and was leaning on the hood of the cop car filling him in on the phone call that he had with young Jenny the day before including his suspicions that she was somehow mixed up in a child abuse case.

While the Cap talked with one officer Roy, his wife and his son were talking to the other and young Chris was really being hard on himself because he hadn't kept better track of his sister.

Cap had just finished telling the officer that he didn't know any other details about what the young girl might be involved in or any names to share when the radio in the police car got his attention.

"Adam 13 Charlie calling in, I have arrived on scene, paramedics on sight and I have also found our missing girl. She seems fine but there is clearly something going on here. The ambulance is just pulling in request a second unit at this location to help with traffic."

"Roy they've found her," Cap called out as the officer he was talking to climbed through the window to respond to the radio transmission.

Roy and JoAnne were let inside the patrol car and Cap promised to take care of Chris.

By the time the patrol car arrived on the scene the patient was loaded and the ambulance was pulling out.

Roy knew he could get more information out of the second paramedic so once he and his wife were let out of the back of the patrol car, (the back doors only open from the outside) he offered to help load the rest of his equipment.

"Bad?" Roy asked, knowing the paramedic and counting on him recognizing him.

"Yeah, she was mixing drugs that don't go together. It's gonna be close. Thanks to some little pipsqueak in there that knew enough to call the hospital the Dr. was ready with order for us as soon as we got here. She just might have made the difference between life and death."

Roy watched as the medic climbed in the squad and let the police officer direct him out, then reached for his wife and moved toward the house. Once they were standing in the doorway they found Vince talking to three children one being their daughter and an official looking woman standing over them.

Jenny still had her stethoscope around her neck and her blood pressure cuff in her hand while her other arm was wrapped around one frightened little girl who looked to be her same age. Roy also took in the bruises on the boy's face and the casted arm in a sling and knew this was the family his daughter had gotten mixed up with.

"Is there anyone we can call to take care of you while your mom's in the hospital?" Vince was asking.

"Mom usually takes us to the emergency crisis shelter," Allen spoke, "When ever she can't be home with us. The phone number is on the card that's slipped under the light switch cover next to the phone."

"I'm taking custody of all three of these children for the time being and I would appreciate it if you could arrange transportation to Rampart hospital and for them to be examined." Miss Marlow ordered very officially.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

There was a long wait as the police officers arranged for a van to take the children to Rampart. Roy requested that his wife be allowed to accompany their daughter and Miss Marlow acted as if she didn't like the idea but then allowed it. The other two children were clearly frightened and worried about their mother asking several times to any one who would answer if they thought she was going to be alright.

Jenny was clearly aware she was in trouble for not coming home after school and was nervous about her parents. Roy was beginning to realize that she had a good reason for getting off at a different stop but one of his first fears about his daughter learning first aid had just come true. Some one came to her for help and the situation was over and above what she was or should at her age be trained to handle.

The fact that she was obviously safe brought some calm but why were they taking her into custody? What exactly had she done? What did she know that could get her into yet more trouble?

Roy helped his wife into the van after the children were loaded and then as soon as the van pulled out and headed off Roy started to run for home and his car. Roy was less than half a block away when he heard a police siren behind him and after he got a hold of himself he turned around to see Vince Howard driving a police car behind him. Once he was stopped Vince pulled up a long side of him and offered him a ride home.

Knowing Vince as a friend Roy was quick to climb in the open car door and he didn't think twice when Vince radioed in to his dispatch telling them he was delivering a passenger to his home, Then Vince Got Roy's complete attention.

"I could get in trouble for saying this so listen hard because I've only got time to say it once. Miss Marlow is the self proclaimed defender of the exploited child she's been the one to take on the movie studios that film under age girls and the parents that push their kids to try out for TV and Modeling to the point of driving them anorexic. She's been heard more than once to speak of your daughter as one of those kids and now she thinks she has a chance to prove it. I wouldn't take your son with you to the hospital and when she talks to you what ever you do don't get angry with her or lie to her." Vince pulled over in front of Roy's house. "I'm pretty sure your daughter will be sleeping in her own house tonight if you do what you're told."

Vince reached across Roy's chest and opened the car door for him and Roy just nod and got out knowing the ride and the conversation was over.

Roy got out and shut the door then Vince drove away.

"Where's Jenny and your wife?" Hank asked in confusion.

"Is Jenny okay dad? Please tell me Jenny is okay dad." Chris called and pleaded as he took a hold of his father's arm.

"Yes Jenny is all right, she got off at another stop to help someone," Roy started to explain as he ruffled his son's hair. "I need you to go pack an over night bag for yourself you only have five minutes. Now go hurry." Roy gave his son a gentle shove and watched as he ran into the house.

"What's going on Roy?" Hank asked as soon as Chris was in the house.

"They took Jenny into custody. Vince thinks she's being taken in response to the commercials she and Chris have been making. They let JoAnne go with her to the hospital but there's two other children with her and one of them looked like he's really been used as a punching bag. Their mother was taken in to Rampart just as we got there. The medic driving the squad said that it's going to be close and that the women was mixing drugs that don't go together." "I don't really want to take Chris to the hospital with me, can you take him home with you or to Johnny's I know he'll look after him?"

"He'll be taken care of," Hank assured his friend, "You just worry about what you need to do for your daughter and wife."

Chris came running from the house with three minutes to spare on his five minute time limit. He carried a small duffel bag in one hand and a sleeping bag in his other.

Roy knelt down in front of his son and placed his hands on his shoulders, "Your sister really is just fine. I couldn't see even the slightest scratch on her but the police took her into custody and took her to the hospital with two other children to be checked out and to talk with her to find out everything she knows. Your mom went with her and I'm going to go to the hospital to wait until I can bring them both home. I have no idea how long it will take. I want you to go with Captain Stanley here and he'll see to it that you're taken care of until I can come get you okay."

"Yeah dad, I'll be real good," Chris responded to his father trying to stand a little taller than he really was. "Dad, I'm real sorry about not watching out for Jen, I should have seen her get off at another stop and told you right away where to find her."

"Things like that happen son don't worry about it. Like I said your sister is just fine. She knows some things that she needs to tell the police that's all." Roy placed one hand at the side of his son's face and rubbed then he pulled him to his chest and held him tight. "Everything is going to be alright son." Roy said as he rubbed his son's back.

Finally Roy handed his son's sleeping bag over to his captain with a promise to call him as soon as he knew anything and then climbed into his wife's station wagon and headed for the hospital.

Hank loaded the sleeping bag into his truck then helped the young boy in after it before getting behind the wheel to drive. He was half way to his home trying to make small talk with the young boy but still Chris hadn't said a word. That's when he made the turn that would take him to John Gage's apartment.

Hank was relieved to see John's rover in his parking stall as he drove up and with out worrying about the sleeping bag lifted Chris down and walked him up to John's door hoping that he wasn't entertaining.

When John responded to the knock on the door Chris flung his arms around John's waist and started crying and Cap knew he had made the right choice.

It didn't take long at all for Chris to tell Johnny all that had happened through his tears and John was quick to move him over to the sofa where they could all sit down and talk. Cap filled in a few of the missed details and then there was the decision of where young Chris was going to stay. Johnny quickly accepted the responsibility for the young boy and Cap retrieved his sleeping bag before telling Johnny that he planned to be in contact with Roy as soon as Roy knew anything and then he'd tell him Chris was with Johnny and why.

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At the hospital the three children were quickly separated and each assigned their own evaluation team that included a doctor, a nurse and either a police officer or an agent from Child Protective Services. Dr. Morton was assigned to Jenny and Dixie was at his side as a favor to one of her favorite paramedics.

"Dixie," Jenny got her attention. "Is Tracy all right, she was really scared?"

"She is being looked over by Dr. Varner." Dixie told the young girl with her usual sweet smile.

"Could you go be her nurse, I know you can make her feel better and help her know that your doing all that can be done for her mommy. I'm alright any nurse can help for me."

Dixie turned to Miss Marlow sitting against the wall taking notes and noticed the stunned expression in her face before responding to Jenny's request. "Sure sweetheart, just let me find someone to help Dr. Morton."

Dixie stuck her head out the door and found a nurse walking by. "Sally would you please assist Dr. Morton with his exam."

Then Dixie was on her way to Tracy's room.

Dr. Early had claimed the right to look young Allen over since he had treated him a few days earlier. As he stepped into the treatment room he found the boy fighting the nurse's efforts to lay him down on the treatment table.

Dr. Early waved the nurse off and then pulled up a stool and sat in front of the young man placing his hands on the treatment table at each side of his patient.

"It's alright Allen no one is going to hurt you," Dr Early assured.

"My Mom doesn't have insurance, you're not going to let her die are you?" the Boy cried as he spilled his biggest concern. "Please help her, I'll get a job and pay for it if it takes me the rest of my life. Please don't let her die." The boy's tears were streaming down his face and his eyes pleaded with Dr. Early as much or more than his words did.

Dr. Early took the young boy's face in his hands carefully so he wouldn't hurt the injuries he had, "Your mother is going to get the best of care available at this hospital. She's being looked after by one of the best Doctors in the state. And as far as the medical bills we'll work something out later. But not having insurance is not going to keep your mom from getting the help that she needs. Do you understand me?"

Allen looked his Dr. over and Joe could tell that he was trying to decide if he was telling the truth, then finally he nod his head and started crying and Joe just pulled him into his chest and let him get it out of his system before he gave him a full examination.

Roy arrived and found his wife in the waiting area trying to read a magazine and went to her side. With his arm around her shoulders he watched all the nurses, technicians and supplies going in and out of treatment room 1 and was certain that the other children's mother was the patient there. His biggest concern came when he saw a nurse hurry in with several pints of blood. Finally Dr. Brackett stepped out and after giving some orders to a nearby nurse watched as his patient hooked up to every machine and tube possible was wheeled out and toward the elevator.

Roy watched the floor indicator above the elevator and knew by the floor it stopped on that the patient was being sent to surgery.

When Dr. Brackett noticed that his patient had reached her destination and knew she was now in the hands of the next doctor, he turned to see where he was needed next. That's when he noticed Roy and his wife in the waiting room and started in their direction.

As soon as Roy noticed Dr. Brackett coming in his direction he rose to his feet and JoAnne was soon on her feet at his side. Brackett waved with his hand indicating they should sit back down and was soon sitting at their side.

"That daughter of yours did it again." Kell started out, "She called in then pushed to talk to someone here at the hospital and by the time the paramedics were there I had all the information I needed to start treatment." Kell smiled and shook his head slightly. "The medics out of 36 couldn't understand why I was waiting on the phone with orders for them when they arrived."

"Can you tell us anything about our daughter?" Roy asked, "They took her into custody along with the woman's two children and we haven't heard anything since we got here."

"Was she hurt?" Dr. Brackett asked with concern.

"Not that I could tell," Roy answered.

"No not at all," JoAnne added, "On the ride in she was just worried about the other two children."

"I'll go see what I can find out," Dr. Brackett offered and then got up and left.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Dr Brackett asked at the desk where Jenny Desoto was but the nurse there was new and had been assigned to another doctor so all she could tell him was the rooms for the three children.

He walked into the first of the three rooms to see Joe Early calming a mildly sedated boy while a police officer took pictures of every mark on him. Joe called the nurse over and headed for his colleague gently pushing him into the hall way and shutting the door behind him. "How's the mother doing?"

"She's still hanging in there, she had undiagnosed peptic and gastric ulcers, the aspirin she was told to take for a shoulder injury sure didn't do them any good, then she was diagnosed with a blood clot in her calf. They didn't have her records from her previous accident and just went ahead and treated her with Heparin, and they gave her a bag full of sample bottles so not even the pharmacist was able to pick up on something wrong. We were able to get her stabilized and off to surgery to stop the bleeding but she's going to have to stay with us for a while so we can monitor things till that blood clot is taken care of."

"I'm sure the social worker is already making plans but if the mother is as sick as you say she is I can't believe she's the one who's left those marks on her son." Joe offered his medical opinion.

"Well we do have one witness who agrees with you." Kell clenched his jaw tight and moved on to the next room. There the nurse was gently rubbing a young girls shoulders as she clutched a Doll Kell recognized as being from the abused children's' closet.

Dr. Varner gave him a nod then quietly got up and joined him in the hall way. "She's not seriously injured not nearly as bad as her brother but she does have multiple bruises at different stages of healing across her shoulders, back and down her legs. Someone has been repeatedly hitting that girl with something hard and narrow. No sign of sexual assault just the bruises."

Kell again clenched his jaw a little tighter and after telling Dr. Varner to keep up the good work, he moved to the last of the three rooms to find a nurse helping Jenny Desoto get her clothes back on while she questioned Dr. Morton on what he looked for when he was checking pupils and requesting a training session in the emergency room.

Her constant chatter and persistent requests brought a smile to the head of ER's face as he stood in the doorway listening in.

"I'm afraid you're going to have to talk to the head of Emergency about that Miss DeSoto." Dr. Morton commented having seen the good doctor in his peripheral vision he added a pointing gesture with the pen he was trying to write his notes with.

"Can I Dr. Brackett?" Jenny requested once again with all the enthusiasm a seven year old could muster.

Kell snickered, "Well I didn't hear everything you requested but as far as training in the ER, there is an age requirement and you still have a few birthdays to go before you meet that." Kell pushed the rest of the way into the examination room as Jenny disappointedly snapped her fingers in defeat. Kell knew she would try again the next time she saw anyone from the hospital, he'd have to look onto some kind of a program for kids her age that would take them on a tour and offer them the chance to see things the normal kids never wanted to see.

Once he was all the way in the room Dr. Brackett noticed Miss Marlow in the corner behind the door with a note book in her hand and actively writing.

"How's every thing going in here Mike?" Kell asked as he leaned on the bed with a smile for his fast growing favorite first responder.

"NO visible signs of bruises or injuries, I'm just waiting for the lab results that Miss Marlow requested," Mike Morton reported, "But I don't anticipate any problems there either."

"Well her parents are in the waiting room worrying so I agreed to come and make sure she was alright." Dr. Brackett stated as he looked over Dr. Morton's shoulder to see what kinds of lab work were being requested by the social worker.

"Are my Mom and Dad really mad at me?" Jenny asked but the social worker was again surprised by her lack of fear.

"I think they're more worried that mad right now. I'm sure the three of you will be sitting down and discussing a different way to deal with similar situations in the future." Dr. Brackett choose his words carefully for the benefit of Miss Marlow who was taking notes.

"How are Tracy and Allen and their mommy?" Jenny asked again, "Tracy was really really scared."

"Well nurse McCall is with her, and I think we're going to find a nice room for them to stay in together tonight and then they'll know how their mom is doing and we'll go from there." Dr Brackett answered the young girls question and then before she could ask more that he wasn't ready to answer, "I better go tell your Mom and Dad that they'll be able to see you real soon and that you're okay."

Miss Marlow gave him a scowl at that statement but Kell knew enough about the law to know it was on his and the DeSoto's side.

Kell left the treatment room and headed straight for his friend and off duty paramedic. "Okay I don't have the time to fill you all the way in so you're going to have to trust me. Where is your son?"

"Hank took him I need to call him as soon as I know how Jenny is," Roy responded.

"Your daughter is fine. Dr. Morton wasn't able to find even as much as a bruise on her. The social worker asked him to run a series of blood tests to make sure she's being well fed and not given any kind of drugs. Both I and Dr. Morton are sure the test will come back clear. But your daughter has seen some things and because of her age there's not much of a chance that things with stand up in court. Can you get a hold of who ever is watching your son and get them to find out what he know about the interactions of Allen and Tracy Baldwin and a Mr. Bunker."

"Mr. Bunker?" JoAnne responded in stunned surprise. "He's the teacher that called just before we learned that Jenny was missing. He wants us to meet with him in the morning something about Jenny disobeying him and running away from him."

"I'm afraid I'm the one who told her to stay away from him and to keep as many kids around her and the girl she was protecting as possible."

"The girl wouldn't by any chance be this Tracy girl whose mother she helped?" Roy questioned as he tried with all his thinking to understand just what was going on. "Mr. Bunker is one of the teachers at the school."

"I thought you knew what was going on," Dr. Brackett spoke, "I mean JoAnne came on the phone when after she told me what she'd seen. I thought that she'd told you and you didn't believe her."

"She hasn't told me anything," JoAnne defended herself, "She kept telling me something about confidentiality and how she couldn't tell me because I wasn't the one taking care of the patients. Roy and Captain Stanley were going to talk with her and try and straighten her out when she got home from school."

"Are you telling me that it's a teacher who's hurting those kids?" Roy was finally making connections with all that he was being told.

"Can you please find out what your son knows?" Kell hurried to say as he saw the two Baldwin children being moved to a room where they could rest and wait for news of their mother before it was decided where they would be cared for. As soon as they were settled in there was going to be a meeting in his office and he needed them all to listen to Jenny as she told them what she had seen. Most of all the other two children needed the people in power to believe what this girl had to say and the more information he could gather from as many sources as he could find the better those chances were.

"I need to get ready for a meeting in my office in about ten minutes and I'll need you two to be there." Kell said and then left to meet with two members of the child protection agency.

Roy gave his wife a quick hug and then headed for the phone to do as Dr. Brackett had asked of him. Hank told him where he could find his son and why he had taken him to Johnny's. Roy quickly called his partner and was surprised when a woman answered the phone. It seemed that Johnny had a date and after he had explained the situation she was more than willing to help him calm the young boy down. The three of them were watching a movie in TV and eating popcorn with Chris in the middle of the dating couple. Roy choose not to ask what the movie was.

Dr. Bracket, Dr. Morton, Dr. Early and Dr. Varner all gathered in Dr. Brackett's office along with an assignment of Law enforcement, and several social workers to compare notes and organized the information that they had. When all was said all they could really prove was that the mother most likely had not beat her children but clearly some one had. There was a statement made by one witness who was underage and the statement had been made to a Doctor and then repeated to the lead social worker. Because of her age it had been given very little attention but now it was certain that the little girl held the answers to their mystery whether they liked it or not.

Dr. Brackett picked up his phone and notified the nurses desk to first send in Mr. and Mrs. DeSoto and then to bring their daughter in.

Roy and JoAnne were encouraged to make themselves comfortable and offered coffee or a drink, "The reason you're here," Dr. Brackett began to explain, "is that we believe your daughter knows some thing that can explain the injuries to the two other children she was brought in with. Since she is a minor you as her parents are entitled to be present as she is questioned, would you like to take advantage of that right?"

"Absolutely," Roy quickly answered, "Both her mother and I have known that something was bothering her and we want to know what's going on."

"I must advice you that for the sake of this interview it is very important that both of you remain silent and not try to coach her or influence what she is to say," A lawyer from the district attorney's office advised and a court reporter sat at his side typing everything that was being said. "Do you understand?"

"Yes Sir," Roy responded as he wife nod her head affirmatively, they were slightly frightened but they did understand that Jenny needed to be able to tell her story in her words.

With everything that needed to be said and understood the Lawyer nod his head toward Dr. Brackett and he got up and walked over to open his door. Standing on the other side was young Jenny holding the hand of her nurse.

"Jenny, my friend, come on in," Dr. Brackett invited and a special chair near the middle of the room was placed just for her. "Jenny how are you doing?" Dr. Brackett started casually.

"I'm fine, what's malnutrition?" Jenny fired back and Dr. Brackett welcomed her questions because he was sure she would once and for all lay to rest the claims that she was being exploited by her parents.

"That's the big name for when you don't eat all your vegetables." Dr. Early offered as an explanation.

"And you should be very happy to know that you don't have it," Dr. Morton added.

"Of course not," Jenny responded, "Mommy won't let me leave the table until I've eaten all my vegetables. Is that the only thing that causes malnutrition?"

"Well," Dr. Bracket thought his words over carefully, this girl was far too bright to be given such an incomplete answer as the one she had been given but she didn't need the medical school definition either. "Some times even if you eat your vegetables but don't get enough food to meet the needs of your growing body you can still get malnutrition," Dr. Bracket answered.

Do Allen and my friend Tracy have Malnutrition?" Jenny asked but before anyone in the room had a chance to answer Jenny replied, "Oh that's right you can't tell me because it would break the confidentiality because I didn't help work on them."

"Mrs. Baldwin is bleeding inside of her though isn't she?" Jenny moved right ahead asking information she felt she was entitled to because she did help work on that patient.

"What makes you say that?" Dr. Brackett asked surprised himself that this young girl had come to that conclusion on her own.

"Well she was in shock but she wasn't bleeding from any cuts or anything. Her tummy was hard not soft when I climbed up in the bed to rub her CPR bone like you told me to do and she had bloody lips but she didn't have any sores on them." Jenny laid out her findings slightly unconfident and questioning if she were right. "I know I didn't tell you all of that on the phone but I just remembered some of those things and wondered what they meant while I was waiting for my Malnutrition tests to get done."

Jenny was clearly still thinking about what she noticed and matching it with what she had learned by listening to her Dad and her Uncle Jonny as well as every question she had ever asked or any thing she had read but didn't fully understand as she turned her head to the side a little in deep contemplation, "Did Mr. Bunker hurt their mommy too?" She asked.

Every person in the room jumped to attention with surprised looks on their faces at the girl's conclusion. Noticing their looks Jenny's eyes flew open wide and she quickly slapped both hands across her mouth and mumbled in frightened tones through her hands. "I'm sorry I didn't mean to break the confidentiality."

Kell Brackett knew they had come to the point where they needed to tackle Jenny's misunderstandings about confidentiality and only hoped her respect for him as a Doctor would allow her to trust in his explanation and then searched his thoughts hard to find the right words for her situation.

"Jenny, you didn't break any confidentiality. Here in this room we're all doing just what you did, we're taking all the information that we have and trying to decide what it all means. And how to use that information to see that Allen and Tracy and their mother get all the help that they need." "In this room you can tell us everything you know and their will be no broken confidentiality."

"But some of these people are police people, and Mommy not a medical care person?" Jenny questioned and Kell smiled.

"There is more to taking care of people medically than just giving them medicine and the things we do here at the hospital. In this case, we also need to do what we can to help keep Allen and Tracy and their mother from getting hurt as often as they have been, that calls for the help of police people," he used her own word, "that's also where we think you can help the most right now. We think you know things that if you tell us we can stop them from getting hurt again." Kell explained then took a deep breath.

"As far as your mommy she is most certainly a very special medical care person she has taken care of you and your brother since before you were born. She had to know what to eat herself to make sure you got the vegetables you needed while you were growing in her tummy and then when you were born she was the one who took care of you and knew before anyone else did if you were getting sick and needed to be seen by the doctor, and then because you couldn't talk yet she had to tell the doctor what you were showing her by not eating or crying or pulling on your ears or anything else you did so that the doctor knew how to make you feel better."

As Jenny thought about what she was being told and looking at her mother in a new light Kell though of one more thing he could say that he hoped would put Roy and JoAnne in this girl's confidentiality circle for the rest of her life.

"Jenny, do you remember when you were telling me about Allen hurting his wrist and asked how you could get people to believe you?"

"Yeah," Jenny answered but was clearly confused and not sure where this conversation was leading to.

"Well not very many kids your age do know what they are talking about if they talk about first aid, lots of kids your age pretend and play act, using words they heard on TV or other places. I know that you know what you're talking about, so do Dr. Early and Dr Morton. And so do your Mom and Dad and a few other people. The facts are that their just isn't anyone else out there your age who knows this stuff like you do and no one expects you to know it either. There are a lot of people out there that you'll meet that will think you're just play acting, So I'm sorry to say that until you get to be as old and big as most people think you need to be to know what you're saying that you're going to have to tell the people that know you and just how smart you are and let them make sure that other people get the message.

What I'm trying to say is that your Mom and Dad are always safe to talk to and tell them about anything that you think is confidential and they can help you understand some of the things that you see and feel but don't really understand and they can help the other people listen to you."

The room remained silent but everyone in it could almost see the gears going in Jenny's head as she thought about and tried to fully understand what Dr. Brackett had just said.

"Soooo, I can tell every body here what I know, do they have to be in this room for me to talk to them?" Jenny thoughtfully asked for clarification.

"I don't think that's necessary, especially your parents, you can talk to them any where you are." Kell welcomed her questions and the understanding they gave him of what more she needed from him.

"But I still shouldn't talk to my brother or his friends or any of the kids at school about stuff to do with people that I help?"

"That would be a very good thing," Miss Marlow spoke up, "You could be telling things that aren't anyone else's business."

"Can I still tell Nurse Lilton at school when I think someone is hurt or I do some first aid on them?"

"That would be a very good idea," Miss Marlow answered again showing surprise in the young girl's questions. "It's her job to make sure that any one who is hurt at school gets all the treatment that they need and to do all the paper work. Do you always tell Nurse Lilton when you do first aid?"

"Yes Ma'am, every time even when I only hand someone a band aid and they put it on themselves." Jenny responded with such passion in her voice that no one questioned her. But Kell could see Miss Marlow rubbing the end of her pen at the side of her face and could tell that Jenny's answer held more for her than just the assurance that the seven year old in question wasn't running her own playground clinic.

"The first question I would like to ask you young lady is where did you learn about Confidentiality?" Miss Marlow started off.

"From Nurse Dixie McCall," Jenny answered matter of factly. "She explained that she couldn't tell me everything that was hurt on Allen because it would break the confidentiality. But I still didn't understand how it worked so I called my Daddy at work. He wasn't there though he was running in the Squad. So I asked Captain Stanley. He knows tons of stuff, he's almost as smart as a doctor but he's not as busy."

The doctors in the room hid their giggles at that remark any way they could but Roy made a mental note to make sure his Captain knew what his daughter had just said of him.

It took nearly two hours for Jenny to tell them everything she knew or suspected and to answer every ones questions to clarify the information she was giving them. Jenny wasn't able to give them dates but instead referred to the number of days before or after an event that she remembered. When she had told all that she knew she had given the police peoples more information that she ever realized that she knew. There was still the issue of her age that they had to deal with but they were much less worried about that than they had been.

Roy and JoAnne realized that their daughter had been in a war zone of sorts in a place where she should have been and felt safe. They were worried about what was yet to come.

Before the meeting came to a close Dr. Brackett and Miss Marlow asked permission to accompany the DeSoto's to their meeting with Mr. Bunker the next morning and they both were intent that this Teacher would leave it knowing Jenny had every right to run away from him and he was not to even as much as speak to this girl.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

The pace Roy climbed the stairs to Johnny's apartment was slower and more contemplative than he had ever made that assent before. His daughter's hand rested in his, she was too big for him to carry her any more, by her declaration not his. His other arm was around his wife's waist.

After the meeting in Dr. Brackett's office they had taken Jenny up to see her friends. The social Worker Miss Marlow went with them and Jenny had encouraged her friends to tell her everything so that she could help them. While they were there Dr. Brackett and Dr. Bergson, came in to tell the Baldwin children that their mother was out of surgery and 'doing fine', those words he thought would make more sense to the children than to say she was stable.

"We're going to have to keep her here at the hospital for a while to make sure she get's all the way better but I think she'll be alright."

"Can we see her," young Allen asked.

"She's sleeping and still being watched closely, I think it would be better if you waited until in the morning just after breakfast." The Doctor told the children, Roy knew what kinds of tubes and machines their mother would be hooked up to and thought waiting till morning would be better for their sake as well.

While Jenny let Tracy hug her and cry a little under JoAnne's supervision. Roy stepped out into the hall with Dr. Brackett and Miss Marlow and made an offer that he and JoAnne had talked over while they were waiting to see their daughter.

"JoAnne and I are willing to take Allen and Tracy until their mother is better."

"That's very kind of you Mr. DeSoto, but right now I am thinking it would be better to place them somewhere where they won't have to deal with Mr. Bunker. At least until we figure out just exactly what is going on here."

"Are you saying that you don't believe my daughter?" Roy spoke defensively.

"I didn't say that at all but the word of a 7 year old, no mater how bright she is, is not enough to take this to a court of law. We're going to have to gather a little more evidence to back her up and that could take a few days."

Now they were approaching Johnny's apartment to gather up their son, they had an appointment in the morning with a teacher who they now knew was hurting children but had no authority over either of their children, at least not as a teacher. Of that they were grateful. They were also grateful that they would have a Doctor friend as well as a Social Worker, at their side as they discussed the situation.

Roy let go of his wife long enough to ring the doorbell and then reclaimed his hold of her as they waited for the door to open.

When the door opened they saw the relieved look on Johnny's face as he looked over his Jennifer and then they saw Johnny's date sitting on the sofa sharing a book with Chris who jumped to his feet as soon as he saw his parents and ran to wrap his arms around his sister.

After a long tight hug that she had to squirm out of Chris stepped back and took her by the shoulders. "Don't you ever do that again. We should go home and get dad first if anyone needs help."

"But what if Dad's taking a nap or at work?" Jenny came back with.

While Roy rolled his eyes Johnny knelt down in front of Jenny and took her shoulders from her brother. "We get woke up every night we're at the station to go help people, we're good at getting woke up. There is no excuse not to wake up your father if you think someone needs some help. And if he's at work you can call a squad."

"That's what I did, Uncle Johnny, I called a squad and then I made them let me talk to Rampart and told Dr. Brackett everything while we were waiting for the Squad to come," Jenny responded.

"Yeah, well you still scared your mom and dad because they didn't know where you were," Johnny added a little too fatherly.

Remembering something Dr. Brackett had said in his office, Roy added, "You can always ask your mom to help you remember what Dr. Brackett said; your mom knows quite a few things."

Chris wasn't able to add anything to the information base about Mr. Bunker; all he knew was that most of the trouble makers were sent to Mr. Bunker's class once they reached the sixth grade because he seemed to be able to control them.

After thanking John and his date again for watching Chris for them Roy took his family home and managed to get both of his children to allow him to tuck them in.

00000

The next morning Roy and JoAnne let their children sleep in but they were up and talking over how they were going to respond to the teacher they would be meeting with.

"The first thing we need to do is make sure Jenny knows we're not made at her, she was only doing what Dr. Brackett had told her to do and then we need to somehow make the stand that she shouldn't have to go to anyone she doesn't feel comfortable with or trust. I'm hoping we can use the incident with the pedophile that came to the school last year as an example. Most of all we can not accuse him," Roy decided, "we could end up turning him against our two children and put them in the line of fire until they get the evidence they need to get him out of the school."

"Roy, I just don't understand, Mr. Bunker is acclaimed the best teacher at that school for working with troubled youth and helping them learn to control their anger. I don't want to call our daughter a liar but I know there are a lot of people that will." JoAnne shook her head in frustration as she searched for the words she wanted to scream, "Why would he do anything like that, why would any one hurt a defenseless child? And those kid's mother, being as sick as she is, That boy was watching his mother die all afternoon and he didn't have a clue what to do and the only thing he could think of he was too scared to try."

"I know this is going to sound funny coming from me but I want to talk to Miss Marlow and see if we can get that boy in to one of the first responder's courses. He is being given the responsibilities of the man of the house he should be give a few of the tools and a little training in an age appropriate manner."

JoAnne took her husband's hand and began to rub with her thumb. "There's a lot of other things those two children should be taught. Not to be afraid to ask for help being one of them. I hope that after all this they realize that people are there to help them and who those people are."

"It would be nice if their mother could get a decent job that included health insurance too," Roy added.

00000

Slightly early for their appointment Roy and JoAnne walked into the school building with their daughter between them, each of them holding one of her hands. They had already told her that she wasn't in trouble because she was just doing what Dr. Brackett had told her to do and that Dr. Brackett and Miss Marlow would be there to help the school understand that she was afraid of him and to work out some alternatives.

To that Jenny's response was, "What are alternatives?" of course they explained what they meant.

As the three DeSoto's walked toward the office to check in they noticed Dr. Brackett and Miss Marlow speaking with the principal as Mr. Bunker was standing at the side declaring fairly loudly, "This is not something that should be made such a big deal out of, this should be dealt with between me, the child and the parent's. Children need to know who is in charge in their lives and how to properly and respectfully respond to those people."

"I'm afraid I disagree with that philosophy," Dr. Brackett spoke up.

"Oh Yeah, well I get results with this philosophy and kids no one else can work with become good students and positive roll models when I work with them." Mr. Bunker defended his stand, "When you social workers get involved all they ever do is learn to make excuses."

"Mr. and Mrs. DeSoto," the principal took control of the conversation. "Miss Marlow and Dr. Brackett have offered to join in on the meeting that was arranged with Mr. Bunker here. Since you are this young lady's parents and legal guardians how would you like to proceed?"

"For reasons that I'm sure will come out in the meeting I would like Miss Marlow and Dr. Brackett to join in sir." Roy was quick to respond as Jenny gave both of her parent's hands a tight squeeze to feel secure.

"Very well then, Shall we gather in my office? At least I hope you have no problem with me attending also?" the Principal again took charge.

"No problem at all sir, we welcome your insight into this situation," Roy again did the speaking as his wife used the proper body language to make in known that she agreed with her husband.

The group was directed to the office which Roy quickly noticed lacked the needed number of chairs. As the principal asked Mr. Bunker to help him bring in more chairs Roy offered one of the chairs there to Miss Marlow then seated his wife in the other one. Soon more chairs were being handed into the room and Roy took one from the Principle and handed it over to Dr. Brackett, as the principal set the other one in his hands next to the good Doctor. With out looking Roy accepted the next chair being handed through the door only to feel his daughter wrap her arms around his leg and hold on tight. After giving his daughter a quick glance he shifted his view in the direction of her frightened stare. Mr. Bunker was looking back at his daughter using the most intimidating look he had ever seen and the teacher's eyes were locked on Jenny's eyes. Roy was sure this teacher had just made a silent threat.

Roy sat the chair meant for him on the floor next to his wife then gently pried his daughter's arms from around his thigh and pulled her onto his lap as he sat down. Keeping his arms around her in his very best effort to let her know he was there to protect her.

Once everyone was in a chair the Principal sat on the corner of his desk and took control of the meeting.

"Don, let's start with you, tell us why you've asked the DeSoto's here to meet with you."

Mr. Donald Bunker gave the DeSoto's, more specifically Jenny an unhappy glare then turned a angry gaze at everyone else in the room before he squared his shoulders and jaw to speak.

"On several occasions yesterday this child was found wandering the hall ways during recess. Each time I asked her what she was doing she ran from me. I believe she was toying with me."

"I was taking Tracy to the nurse's office," Jenny spoke timidly and in a near whisper but the Principal was listening closely, "I have a pass to bring anyone in that I think needs to talk with her."

"That's right you do." The Principal smiled at Jenny who was trying to melt into her father's chest. "Can you tell me why you ran from Mr. Bunker when he called you?"

Jenny gave her father a glance and Dr. Brackett before answering. "He didn't call me, he called for Tracy, she was really really scared of him and he was hitting his hand with his meter stick. Dr. Brackett told me to stay with my friend and keep lots of people around so we wouldn't get hurt; he also said not to let someone we didn't trust to get us alone anywhere."

Jenny quieted down not sure what more to say and gave Dr. Brackett a pleading look.

"Jenny and I were talking about the injuries sustained by Allen Baldwin." Dr. Brackett spoke up. "She was worried about the number of injuries he had received at school in recent months and asked me what to do to help him and his sister who happens to be in her class. I advised her and her friends to stay away from anyone she thought would hurt her or them."

"Children need to learn to respect and obey those who have authority over them." Mr. Bunker broke in.

"It is my belief that no child should go to anyone they don't trust regardless of the position they hold over that person." Dr. Brackett concluded.

"I have a couple of questions I would like to ask here." Miss Marlow spoke up, "First why does such a young girl have the responsibility to bring other students to the school nurse?"

"I wouldn't call it a responsibility per say," the principal began, "It started last year when Jenny here was frequenting the nurse's office wanting to help out and ask questions about how to help other people and how all her supplies worked. Then there was the incident on the school bus where young Jenny and her brother were very instrumental in taking care of a couple of students that had been injured as the students panicked trying to get off the bus to fast. It really all started when the news media acted aggressively trying to speak with Jenny about that and other cases where she had performed first aid that prompted us to give her an outlet. We were afraid that reporters may try to approach her during recess so we gave her the open pass to go to someone she trusted in case she needed to get away. Then when that known child molester came to the school asking for her we thought it a good idea to continue the policy. I would like to add that there have been many unexpected benefits for this decision. Jenny here has brought a lot of injuries to our attention that used to go unnoticed. The children are much more likely to talk to her than an adult and she has convinced several of them to seek out help that they wouldn't have other wise. Also if they are still too afraid to go to the nurse Jenny here tells her anyway and she can then approach their teachers and see to it that they get the care that they need. There have been several students who have received concussions that would have gone untreated, along with several wounds that were then properly bandaged and she has brought to our attention the possibility of several child abuse situations that we are now investigating through proper channels."

The Principal then paused trying to decide if and what more he should say before he added. "Of course it is not Jenny's responsibility to take care of any of the students she is just a natural at first aid and always so prepared, we know she would take care of them any way and we talked with her parents and we both felt that she needed someone to turn to if she needed more help and we wanted to make sure all injuries were documented for all of the usual reasons. This arrangement has worked well for us and we plan to continue it."

"That sounds like an interesting solution to a rather unusual set of circumstances." Miss Marlow looked impressed. "My next question is if Mr. Bunker is a 6th grade teacher why does he have any thing to do with this young first grader. It seems very unlikely to me that a child in the younger grades would know the older teachers. Especially given the experiences that Jennifer DeSoto has had and the instructions that I'm sure her parents and many others have given her as a result. Isn't there a policy in place were a male teacher can call on a female teacher to deal with a student in this situation. Surely given all that has happened in this girl's young live you can't possible intend that she be forced to submit to anyone she is frightened of."

"That's a very good point, Miss Marlow, No, we don't have a policy as such but I see no reason that one can't be put in place right now. Don, I'm afraid these people are right; you do have a reputation of being a rough and tough teacher just by the students we tend to send your way. I see no reason that some one like young Jennifer here or her classmate should be forced to approach you in the hall way. In the future I expect you to inform our office or the vice principal and let her deal with the younger classes. As far as Jennifer, I do believe you feel you can trust nurse Lilton don't you?"

"Yes sir," Jenny answered still clinging to her father's chest in fear, "She's my friend."

"Very well then, and since you have never abused the privileges that have come with your pass I'm going to allow you to keep it. Now, if Nurse Lilton is not available do you feel you could go to Mrs. Brooks the vice principal? She doesn't frighten you does she?"

"No sir, she's really nice." Jenny responded now starting to peel away from her father.

"Good then, I'll make sure that everyone is informed that this is the plan that we've made in this office and if you have any troubles I hope that you feel you can talk to me."

"Yes sir." Jenny responded again.

"As far as Jenny being in the hall during recess, Miss Lilton has talked to me about the situation and I feel that everything that happened, happened for the best and there should be no repercussions."

"Is there any one here who thinks there is more that should be discussed in this meeting?"

Not a word was said but nearly everyone shook their head, they all felt the meeting had dealt with the concerns that could be voiced at that moment. The one and only dissenting vote was Mr. Bunker who was very clearly unhappy.

As they left the room the DeSoto's walked with their daughter to her classroom and Dr. Brackett and Miss Marlow exchanged brief conversation with the principal. Mr. Bunker returned to his class room determined to do something about the situation he had been dealt. That child had too much power, children should never have power, they were too young to know what to do with it, the power belonged to the adults in their lives and if he didn't get this child in line she could undo everything he stood for and every control he had in his class room.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

JoAnne decided to stay at the school and volunteer to make sure Jenny was settled into her class and daily routine and Roy was actually grateful that she had earned the respect of the teachers and was allowed to do so.

Roy opted to leave her the car and walked home. He was picked up after a block and a half by Dr. Brackett.

"Thanks for the ride," Roy responded when he got in the car, "I really want to thank you for everything you've done through out all of this. I really had no idea what was bothering her but Cap and I guessed from the questions she asked him that it was possibly a child abuse case."

"I'm sorry about thinking that you and your wife already knew about what was going on. I should have known you would believe just about anything she said, at least enough to investigate." Dr. Brackett gave his apology; of course Roy understood that he had a lot of demands on him while he was on the job.

"I talked with Miss Marlow after the meeting; she's been at the school all morning going over records on this and another suspicious case. She said that they have records of Jenny bringing him into the school nurse several times and even move times when Jenny reported that he was hurt. The incident with the broken wrist is reported along with documentation that the nurse went to the class room to check on the boy and the teacher wouldn't let her enter saying he had checked it out and it wasn't even a sprain. She's also been able to find out that the boy's mother was in a hit and run accident in a cross walk that day and had to ask an emergency child drop off center to look after the kids while she stayed in some king of a free clinic observation center." Kell pulled over in front of Roy's home and turned to face him. "Unfortunately, although things look suspicious there isn't enough evidence to file a complaint on the teacher but there is solid evidence that who ever is hurting those kids it is not their mother."

"So what you're saying is that right now it's Jenny's word against the teacher and in front of a judge Jenny doesn't stand a chance of being believed because she's just a kid." Roy responded in anger.

"The way it sits now even if Jenny were an adult there wouldn't be much of a chance of even making it to a court of law." Dr. Brackett corrected and he was just as upset about it as Roy was.

"Miss Marlow is hoping to get more information to back things up but right now she doesn't have enough to take to the district attorney."

"So what happens now?" Roy asked worried about his children as much as the Baldwin children.

"Allen and Tracy are going to be placed in a center for abused children; they will be kept up to date on their schooling and get regular visits with their mother for as long as she's in the hospital and then when she's well enough to go home they'll come up with another plan." "As far as with your daughter in that meeting today we made it so that he had no responsibility over her, so make sure she understands that if he comes after her in any way she should go to the people that we agreed upon in the meeting and report it. I think she should be alright as long as she does what we agreed on today."

"I'll be sure to talk with her once she get's home, thanks for the ride Doc," Roy got out of the car and shut the door behind him.

Walking toward the house he was still filled with anger there was only one thing to do, beat up on some clay and work on the pottery wheel.

Roy had made several attempts to make a stemmed goblet and again failed when he noticed a shadow from the open garage door. Looking up he found Miss Marlow standing in the open garage.

"No one answered at the door but I thought I heard someone in the garage so I checked, I hope that's okay." Miss Marlow spoke as Roy turned off his potter's wheel and stood up to greet his guest.

"I'd offer to shake hands but mine are a bit muddy right now." Roy explained feeling a little intimidated in the woman's presence, her's was a profession that took children from their parents and even though he felt he hadn't done anything to warrant such action he had to admit he wasn't the perfect parent.

"Looks like you were having trouble there," Miss Marlow commented as she looked around Roy to try and see what he was doing. "What are you making?"

"I'm trying to make a stemmed Goblet, Jenny and I are working together to make a set of dishes for her hope chest." Roy explained finding a work bench and leaning against it as he wiped his hands with a rag. "Before I can teach her how I have to learn myself."

"Does Jenny enjoy working with the potter's wheel?"

"I think it's more the one on one time with Daddy," Roy ventured, "I like to work with the clay when I've had a hard shift at work. It's a good way to let out frustration Jenny seems to like to work with me so we decided to make her a special set of dishes to use when she get's married."

"Married hu, so you're planning it to be a long term project?" Miss Marlow offered a friendly smile in an attempt to put Roy at ease.

"A very long term project, I've told her she can't get married till she's 21." Roy offered a nervous snicker as he spoke.

"So you do try to teach your daughter something other than first aid?"

"Absolutely," Roy responded, "I didn't really teach her in the beginning, she watched me teach her brother and some of the other kids in Scouts. Because of all the time I was spending with them she got it in her head that I loved her brother more than her and she felt like she had to learn to earn my love."

"How did you come by that realization?" Miss Marlow questioned more in interest than a sense of injustice that needed to be righted.

"We were looking through her baby book one afternoon before her brother came home from school. She was comparing everything to the baby she ended up delivering just down the street, and then out of the blue she asked me if I'd ever love her as much as her brother. I didn't know how to respond at first I was kind of in shock and she took the silence to support her thoughts. She started listing off all the things she was trying to do to earn my love and that's when I knew I needed to find a way to show her how much she was loved."

"Is that when you started teaching her how to use the potter's wheel?"

"It was just a few days after that that we started working on it. She was watching me and I offered to let her help me. She ran in the house to get on clothes it was alright to get dirty in so fast." Roy remembered with a warm smile at the memory. We were still working on what ever it was we were trying to build when Chris came home from school. He was upset that I was teaching Jenny how to use the wheel before him and when I said that I didn't know he wanted to learn how he told me he didn't he just figured I should teach him before you younger sister."

Miss Marlow smiled at what Roy was telling her, it wasn't often that she had the opportunity to talk with parents who cared for their children the way he and his wife did.

"It's amazing what kids will think of," she said and leaned against the back of Roy's truck. "I must admit thought that I find it hard to believe that Jenny has learned all the first aid that she knows just by watching you teach a bunch of boy scouts."

"Your right about that," Roy had to admit. "She wound up using what little she knew and only partially understood in life and death situations. Once a neighbor who was watching her while her mother was at the dentist with her brother. She chocked on a strawberry and the only ones around were Jenny and her own daughter just a year or so older. Jenny remembered a few things that she had watched me teach her brother and the other scouts and managed to push the woman out of the chair and do a prone version of the Heimlich maneuver. She saved the lady's life, a friend of mine who works at the hospital put her in for an award and it was told to her over and over again that she would have died if Jenny hadn't done what she did, I think that kind of put a lot of weight on Jenny's shoulders and made her feel like she had to make sure she did everything right. Every time she gets anywhere near anyone she knows has any kind of medical training she asks questions."

"Like she did about Malnutrition in Dr. Brackett's office last night?" Miss Marlow had a smile.

"Pretty much, to start out with though the questions were simpler like how to take a pulse, then how to take a pulse if the person had both arms in casts," Roy explained starting to feel more comfortable. "It was easy to give her and her brother a demonstration and teach them what they were asking to learn."

"I don't quite understand why you taught her how to take blood pressures?" Miss Marlow asked. "I mean isn't she a little young for that?"

"Yes she is, but she wanted to learn, I mean really wanted to learn." Roy paused and let out a deep breath. "You have to understand something; I was at work when the child molester tried to get a hold of my daughter. It was my son that went to the play ground duty to turn him in. Any way I'm sure you can understand that I was scared, and upset, I wished I hadn't taught any one under 21 any kind of first aid, the very next run I got was for a child in his early teens. He had cut the artery in his arm and his friends that were with him didn't know what to do. My partner and I did every thing in our power to pull him out of shock; we even took him to the hospital in the back of a police car because the ambulance couldn't get to us fast enough. That kid died shortly after we got him to the hospital and I knew, and then the Dr. told me again. If my kids had been there even though they were six years younger that kid would have lived.

That's when the department started the first responder program, Jenny and Chris managed to get in the news enough times with their first aid exploits so they were approached to help them promote the program. Since they were helping to sell the program they argued that they should take the class them selves."

From what I know of the program and what I've seen and heard of your daughter I suspect she taught the class." Miss Marlow smiled she had truly grown in awe of young Jenny. "I have to apologize to you Mr. DeSoto, when I notice your daughter on the news I pictured a girl that had been drilled in the pronunciation of medical terms that she didn't even begin to understand just so she'd sound good and smarter than she was. Now that I've spent some time with her and watched her in action, I find she doesn't use medical terms but seems to have an understanding far beyond her years. The terms she uses take a trained ear to understand but she does make a lot of sense if you listen to her. That was very clear when she talked of the CPR bone in the woman's chest." She had to share a chuckle with the girl's father. "What I was most impressed with is that she has clearly been taught to ask for help, that little card in her bag with all the phone numbers on it and dimes pressed into holes in the back. I was very impressed. She was very quick to ask me to read the names of medications off to the doctor. Very impressive."

"I'll admit I was concerned for the well being of that child before I really met her but not any more. You and your wife are very responsible parents. Both of your children are wonderful role models to their peers because of the way you've raised them."

"Thank you," Roy responded near to tears as his wife drove the station wagon into the drive way.

Quickly getting out of the car, JoAnne approached her husband with a questioning and frightened look on her face.

"I've been talking to your husband about your daughter and how she learned so much first aid." Miss Marlow tried to put JoAnne at ease. "I loved that oral report she gave in class this morning, she really makes first aid sound easy when she breaks it down in to the A,B,C,D, and E.

"Airway, bleeding, circulation, funny I'd think circulation would be first." Miss Marlow questioned.

"If there's no circulation there won't be breathing or bleeding so in effect it is first you just use the first two as part of you're search for it." Roy began to explain with a confidence he hadn't felt before in the women's presence. "You can start checking for the first two while you're approaching the patient but you have to touch the patient to be able to check for circulation."

"I've never thought of it that way before but you're right," Miss Marlow showed he had just had an enlightening moment. "D stands for don't move them and E for emmobilize. What's going to happen when she learns that emmobilize really starts with an I?"

"She's already been told that but it simplifies things to think of it that way." Roy explained,

"Jenny came up with the last two letters herself," JoAnne spoke up as she reached for her husband. "The Fire Department choose to include them in their first responder training program."

"Well it is a good mantra to help a person remain calm and work one step at a time in the heat of a crisis." Miss Marlow showed honest praise in her facial features.

"The reason I came here was to ask you if it would be possible to arrange a few play dates between your children and the Baldwin Children, We believe it would be in their best interest if they were to keep in touch with friends."

"Of course, we would love to help those children any way we can. Have you determined for sure that their mother isn't hurting them?"

"Yes we have," Miss Marlow responded, "I can't divulge what information we have but we have ruled out any involvement of Mrs. Baldwin."

"Is there anything we can do to help her?" JoAnne asked.

"I'm sure there will be several things that you can do to help once she's out of the hospital but she will be there for at least a week according to the Doctor's." Miss Marlow gave a smile and then she and JoAnne exchanged phone numbers and phone numbers for the care center where the children were currently being cared for.

Roy still worried for his children but was grateful for the opportunity to help two children he knew were being abused. He hoped he could make a difference.

Roy had just finished cleaning up his muddy hands and clothes still not mastering the stemmed goblet. He was checking his watch to see that he children would be getting out of school in about half an hour.

When the phone rang Roy was sure it was a friend of Jo's wanting to talk about some recipe for dinner or something similar so he let her answer it as he thought more on how to talk with his children when they got home about all that was going on.

"We'll be right there," Jo was heard to say over the phone before she hung it up. JoAnne hurried to the living room and grabbed her purse and searched for the keys in the bottom of it. "That was the school, Chris is in the nurses office. He was in a fight with four other boys and got hurt."


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Roy and JoAnne raced into the school building, they knew their way around enough that they didn't need to be lead to the nurse's office and they didn't take time to check in at the office which was requested of visitors.

At the nurse's office Mr. Bunker and the vice principal were arguing at the door.

"He's just being a little panty waist," Mr. Bunker carried on, "he's been acting so long for those commercials he's been doing and now he's acting for attention."

They looked up and noticed Roy and JoAnne were standing next to them. "I assure you Mr. and Mrs. DeSoto there is nothing really wrong with your son."

"I'll be the judge of that." Roy pushed his way into the nurse's office and started evaluating his son. Chris was laying on a bench affair his breathing seemed labored as he held his chest with both hands and Roy could tell instantly that he was trying to hold as still as possible. Breathing was clearly painful so he was trying not to do that any more than was absolutely necessary.

"Do you have a blood pressure cuff and stethoscope?" Roy asked looking to the nurse. The nurse knew Roy and the training that he had so she handed them to him while he asked, "Have an ambulance and squad been called?"

"That kid doesn't need and ambulance he just got the wind knocked out of him that's all." Mr. Bunker started to demean Chris once again.

"No not yet," the vice principal stepped in, "There was a disagreement on the need so we chose to wait until you got here to make the decision."

"Then get them called now and request police assistance," Roy roared, "I'll be filing charges on the boys that did this."

"Now I don't think that will be necessary." The vice principal began.

"Now wait just one minute," Mr. Bunker reached out and took hold of Roy's arm trying to force him to turn and look at him. "You're just turning that kid of yours in to a whine heels, it's not going to solve his problems."

"Remove your hand from my arm or I will see to it that you are charged as well," Roy stated with enough of a glare to let the man know he meant business. Suddenly Roy was beginning to get an idea how this man worked. Once his son was taken care of he would need to call Miss Marlow and tell her what he was thinking.

When the hand was slowly removed Roy turned back to his son and started to palpate his body to find out what the extent of the injuries were. There were no bumps on his head and although he didn't have a pen light he was certain his son's eyes were equal and reactive. Roy slowly unbuttoned his son's shirt to see the bruising on his chest. Calmly he encouraged his son to let him pull his arms away from his chest as he gently, Chris groaned as he ran his practiced hands down his chest, definitely bruised but Roy didn't think anything was broken, possibly cracked though. There was some definite tenderness in the upper abdominal cavities and the lower part of the abdomen was tender, as well as the groin. Roy's anger was growing, his son had really been worked over, and he was sure all four of the boys who did the working were from Mr. Bunker's class room.

After he had palpated his son's body, Roy was able to turn him on his side to reduce the pain slightly and make it easier for him to breath.

The police officer had arrived first and Mr. Bunker was quick to get his attention and tell his side of the story. As Roy was listening to his son being labeled a troublemaker and the instigator of the fight, Chris got his attention and coaxed him to bend down so that he could whisper in his ear.

"Don't leave here with out Jen, not safe for her here," Chris managed to painfully whisper in his father's ear.

Roy just sat up and held his finger to his lips and gave his son a nod, he then rubbed his head and tried to calm his wife who was holding Chris's hand with both of her's trying very hard to put up a brave calm front for her son but Roy knew she was terrified.

When the paramedic's arrived Roy looked up at Brice and Bellingham, "This is my son," Roy reported, "He's been in an altercation with four other boys, most of the injuries are found in the chest and abdominal areas." Roy then relayed all other information he had gathered or observed and ended with, "And yes you have my permission to treat."

As Brice and Bellingham were working on his son and starting the IV he knew would be ordered, Roy pulled his wife to his side and whispered in her ear to go get Jen. As Chris was being moved to the ambulance Roy was walking beside him. "Brice here will take good care of you so you mind what he says until you get to the hospital, Jen and your Mom are in the cab or the ambulance with you so don't be afraid. I'll be driving in right behind you; I'll be there by the time you're done with your x-rays."

After helping to lift his son into the ambulance Roy watched as his wife and daughter were guided to the cab, then once Brice had set his equipment in side Roy pulled at his shirt sleeve, "This is my son, he's scared, please put on your best bed side manner," Roy sighed realizing Brice's best bed side manner was no bedside manner. "Just don't rule book him to death before you get him to the hospital please."

"I'll do my best," Brice actually managed a smile, at least Roy thought it was a smile, it could have been a grimace or gas or something like that.

School was just getting out as the ambulance pulled away so Roy had to work his way through a waist high sea of children to get back to his car. As he moved one boy took hold of his hand to stop him.

"Mr. DeSoto, is Chris going to be alright?" Roy looked back and Tony, somebody he couldn't remember his last name but he knew the boy was a friend of Chris's.

"I think so but he needs to be checked over by a doctor real good. He could be hurt inside." Roy tired to explain and keep it on the boy's level.

"I don't know what they told you but Chris didn't start it," Tony told his friend's father, "They just came up to him and told him that your family needs to keep their noses out of other peoples business and started hitting him, before they hit him the last time they said that he better tell his big mouthed sister to put a sock in it or they'd get her next even with the new rules you made the principle make."

"Tony did you see what happened?" Roy knelt down to look at him eye to eye.

Tony nod his head, "There were four of them hitting Chris in the stomach but there were two other big kids holding me and Rodger's arms behind out back, they said if we tell then they'd hit us too," the boy looked down at the ground, "They said they'd get us for helping Chris get to the nurse." The boy then looked up with tearful eyes, "Mr. DeSoto I'm scared, mom won't get home from work for an hour and they know where I live, Roger too."

"Would you come with me and tell the police what you saw and heard?" Roy asked keeping the frightened boy safe for a moment. "Then they can keep you safe when you get home and Roger too if you know where he is." Roy had no more that stood up to lead the frightened boy to the police officer he left talking with the vice principal when he came out with his son, when another boy ran into him because he was paying more attention to who was following him than to where he was going.

Roy took notice of the group of older boys and big for their age following, "This wouldn't by any chance be Roger would it?"

"NO he's Roger," Tony pointed to a boy who was being drug along by two bigger boys who where holding both of his arms and forcing him forward.

Out of the corner of his eye Roy noticed the police officer walking out of the front entrance. "Officer we need your help over here," Roy called out. Roger's arms were let go instantly and several boys ran but Roy wasn't sure who they were or even how many for sure. However his gut told him they were students of Mr. Bunker.

When the officer came to Roy's beckoning call he could see three frightened boys moving in close to the father of a boy who had just been taken to the hospital. Roy quickly explained that the boys had been harassed and were frightened. He took a moment to look at Roger's arms and could see the bruises which he pointed out to the police officer. Still his felt the boy should be alright.

"Will you make sure these boys get home safely and their parents informed?" Roy asked the police officer when he noticed another police car arriving to help out. "I really need to get to the hospital for my son."

"We'll take care of things here, don't be worrying about these three, we'll see to it that they're taken care of."

Roy made it to the hospital in time to see the portable x-ray machine being pushed out of a treatment room and when Jenny ran into his arms and he lifted her up and held on tight she confirmed that was the room that her brother was in. "Why didn't they call me to take care of him daddy, he's my brother and I could have wrapped up his chest so that he wouldn't hurt so much until he could get to Rampart."

Roy pulled his daughter close for a tight hug. "You have to leave a little work for us grown ups there sweetie. Don't you worry now, Chris will be alright."

Roy looked down the hall to see Dr. Brackett walk into the treatment room, he knew his son was in good hands but he wouldn't be totally at ease until Chris was back in his hands.

Dr. Brackett and Dixie came through the treatment room door and walked side by side toward the waiting room were Roy and the rest of his family waited.

"He's been hit pretty hard but we can't find any evidence of internal bleeding yet, but I would like to keep him for at lease 24 hours to make sure." Dr. Brackett informed one of his best paramedics.

"Of course Doc," Roy responded, "what ever you think is best; Is he still in a lot of pain?"

"We've given him something to help with that." Dr. Brackett grimaced, "He's not too happy about some of the tubing we've installed and I'm sure he'll be less happy when he learns that he can't eat or drink anything until we're sure we won't have to rush him to surgery."

Roy let out a deep breath and nod his head in understanding, "Can we see him Doc?"

"Sure," Brackett acknowledged then look right at Jenny standing next to her father resting her head on his hip with one arm around his thigh, my she was growing, last time he remembered seeing her hang on to her father like that she was resting her head on his thigh and her arms around his knee. "I'm sure you can explain what you need to, to you young Jenny here and get her to not go looking too deep under the covers to explore."

A smirk split the air as a rather proud father looked at his youngest offspring. "This is definitely a take our word for it do not lift covers and do no touch operation," Roy acknowledges.

"Chris had to have an operation?" young Jenny asked pulling herself tighter to her father and looking up at him at the same time.

"Not yet honey, but he might have to." Roy explained as he wife pulled in close too and placed a reassuring hand on her daughter's shoulders. "The Doctor is going to keep him in the hospital and run some tests and watch him real close till tomorrow to make sure he doesn't need an operation, then if he just needs rest and medication for his pain we can take him home and you and Mommy can take care of him."

"I will do my best," Jenny pulled away from her father just a little and stood at attention. Everyone in the area was waiting for some kind of salute but none was given.

Roy rubbed his daughter's hair and pulled her close to his side once again, "we're going to go in and visit with Chris for a little while but before we do I want you to promise me that you won't touch anything. Okay?"

"I be good daddy. I won't touch nothin."

Hand in hand three DeSoto's walked in to check out the fourth. Chris was dosing due to the effects of the medication. Still there was a quiet moan of pain that accompanied any hint of movement. The head of the bed was raised just slightly and the side rails up.

Roy reached out and rubbed the top of his son's head, the way he always thought a father should, and when Chris opened his eyes sleepily to look at him he bend down to give him a kiss on the forehead. "You're going to be all right son but the Doctor wants to keep you around so he can watch you close till tomorrow."

Chris weakly nod and rolled his head toward his family, "Doc Brackett told me."

With that Roy moved further down the side of the bed so that JoAnne could check her son over and give him her love. While JoAnne was rubbing the top and side of Chris's head Roy picked up Jenny and held her so that she could get a better look at her brother.

Roy was aware of the door to the room opening and closing but he hadn't turned his attention away from his son.

"He's going to be alright mommy," Jenny started in on her bedside manner which was a combination of what she had seen her brother do and how she perceived her father would put her mother at ease. "His IV is dripping very slowly so it's just there so they can put medicine in it, he's breathing all by his self, he doesn't even have oxygen on him. And he has very good color in his face."

Roy smiled and gave his daughter a hug, then realized that the beating had avoided his face and anywhere else that bruises would be noticed.

It was the quiet scoff from behind him though that caused him to turn and see who was in the room with them. He was very relieved to see Miss Marlow there knowing she had the means to bring this group of boys either to control or away from his children's school.

Jenny was set back on the floor where she took hold of her brother's wrist and counted a pulse. "A little slow for him but still very good," Jenny reported. Then her attention turned to the bag affair hung near the bottom of the bed, filling with an orange shade of fluid. "Daddy what's this?"


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Roy was quick to notice the reddish hue rushing into his son's face. This was just what they had talked about in the hall before coming into the room. "It's one of the test's they're doing on Chris, it tells them how well his kidneys and bladder are working by checking his urine." Roy quickly explained while holding his daughter's hands back.

The red tint to his son's urine told the practiced medic why his son had a catheter in but he could tell that it wasn't bad enough to rush him to surgery it just indicated a need to watch him. Roy's real concerns were in another area as he made a mental note to ask the Doctor about possible complications in Chris providing him with grandchildren; several years from now of course.

"How is it stuck in him," the ever curious mind, as always, still wanted to know.

"Jenny my dear," Miss Marlow stepped into the conversation, "There are some things that it really is better if you wait a few years to learn."

Roy glanced back and forth between Miss Marlow and his wife with a slightly relaxed and grateful sigh he offered up a silent thank you to the intervener.

"I need to talk with your brother for a while before he falls asleep because of the medicines the doctor's have given him." Miss Marlow spoke straight to Jenny bending slightly at the waist in an effort to be more on the young girl's level. "Would you like to wait outside with your Daddy or your mommy while I talk to him?"

"I'll let her stay with me," Dixie McCall offered, "If that's alright with her parents." With a nearly hidden smile that started in her eyes. "Maybe I could teach her something else to get herself in trouble with."

"How come I have to go out side?" Jenny showed her dejection, "Are you afraid I can't take it in here?"

"No it's not that at all," Miss Marlow spoke to the young girl as if she were a grown up. "The reason I don't want you here while I talk with your brother is that I'm going to want to talk with you later and I want you to tell me what you remember not what you were reminded of by listening to your brother talk to me."

"I guess that sort of makes sense," Jenny conceded before taking a hold of Dixie's offered hand, as the two moved toward the door, Jenny asked her next desire. "Can we go to the doctor's lounge, sometimes when you listen to the doctors talk about a patient you can learn lots of really neat stuff."

"And don't you think that neat stuff might violate Doctor Patient Confidentiality?" Dixie offered as a reason why she wouldn't do as she was being requested.

"I'm sure not getting this confidentiality thing down very good am I?" Jenny cringed in confusion as she and Dixie left the room.

"You need to work on it just a little," Dixie answered as she walked out the door.

As the door swung closed Miss Marlow chuckled slightly and shook her head, "She's one of a kind that daughter of yours. I must admit though I'm not sure if we should clone her or break the mold."

"Same here," JoAnne calmed with the humor.

Seeing that Chris was fading fast Miss Marlow stepped up to the side of the bed opposite his parents and placed her hands on the bed rail after turning on a tape recorder. "May I call you Chris?" she asked.

Chris looked over to his parents to see what they would say and after seeing slight nods from each of them he turned and nod his sleepy head to the lady on the other side.

"Can you tell me what happened to you today?" Miss Marlow asked calmly, "I need all the little details and as much as you can remember."

Because he was sleepy and hurting and had to stop talking from time to time to catch his breath and hold his bruised and cracked ribs, it took over an hour to get Chris's statement. Both Roy and JoAnne cringed at some of the details that were given out but for the most part Chris's statement matched the story Tony had told him back at school.

00000

In the nurses station Dixie was working on her reports while talking with and answering questions from young Jenny. While her father wouldn't give her the details on the tests being done on her brother's pee, Dixie did explain how the Catheter was inserted and some of the reasons why and what they were watching for. When she understood what she wanted to know about her brother Jenny started pointing to the different patients walking down the hall and asking what she should do for them if she were the first responder.

Dixie marveled at the girl's eagerness to learn but felt her questions were getting way to close to crossing the confidentiality line.

When Dixie refused to answer the last two of Jenny's questions the young girl looked at the phone and asked one on a different line. "Could I call Uncle Johnny and talk to him? I don't think he's as busy as you and I think he'd like to know about Chris."

"That's a very good idea," Dixie smiled in relief, "just let me find his phone number."

"I have it," Jenny called out as she reached into her well loved 'Emergency First Responder Bag' and pulled out her little wallet before finding the card that had all of the phone numbers her parents could thing of on one side and dimes seated in openings on the other side."

Dixie dialed the number and handed the phone to Jenny, "Unca Johnny," the girl nearly cried showing emotions she didn't feel safe showing with Dixie, "Chris is hurt really bad, they got all kinds of tubes inside of him and he has to stay in the hospital because he might have to have a operation in a mergency."

When Chris was being moved to his room, JoAnne and Roy were at the side of the gurney keeping some kind of physical touch with their sedated child as he was moved toward the elevator. Since they were moving slow Roy had a chance to look toward the nurses desk, when he noticed Dixie working on some kind of paperwork and no Jenny around I grew a bit concerned but then Dixie looked up and made eye contact with Roy and pointed toward the waiting room where John was sitting with his right foot on his left knee and Jenny was in his lap listening very carefully to what her Uncle Johnny was telling her.

The gurney stopped at the elevator and Roy could tell by the speed in which it was coming from the top floor that he had time get Johnny and Jenny to come with them. After telling Jo what he was going to do Roy hurried over and walked up behind Johnny as he talked with his daughter.

"…. the boy parts are very tender and can get hurt really easy," Roy over heard his partner telling he daughter things he wasn't sure he wanted her to know. He could tell by the tone of his voice that he was uncomfortable with the topic of conversation but he was telling her how it was and Roy liked the approach Miss Marlow took much better, "and their on the out side of the body so if they get bumped they can really hurt a lot, Even grown men will often not be able to do anything but to lay on their side and hold very tight until the pain goes away and sometime that can take kind of a long time."

Roy stopped the conversation by placing his hand on his partners shoulder and speaking quickly, "We're taking Chris up to his room now." He said with a nod in the direction of the elevator.

Johnny quickly got to his feet with Jennifer on his hip and grabbing his jacket he followed Roy. By the time the reached the gurney the elevator door was opening so they just followed the gurney inside and once the door closed Johnny got his first good look and the young boy he truly cared for as if he were his nephew.

He noticed the evident pain in his facial expressions and the mild flinching with every jolt and bump of the elevator. He was clearly medicated for the pain and sleeping but not yet comfortably. Once on the floor the visitors and parents were asked to wait until they had him settled into his bed before they came into the room.

John relinquished his hold on Jennifer so that JoAnne could take her to the bathroom and Roy filled Johnny in on as many details as he could cram into the short time that they had. As he retold the story Roy's rage grew and it was a good thing that Mr. Bunker was not there at the moment because if he had been Roy would have attempted to send him to the morgue in the basement with out the aid of the elevator.

For his part, John's actions would have been to get in the way of anyone who would try to stop him.

Jenny and JoAnne came back just at the gurney was rolled from the room and the four of them nervously fiddled around I the hall waiting for the nurse to finish collecting a fresh set of vitals. Both Roy and JoAnne were adamant that their son would have some one at his side through out the night and Johnny agreed, volunteering to take a shift at the boy's bedside himself.

They had just entered the room to find a nasal cannula had been placed on Chris along with a few other monitors.

"Because of the sedatives and pain meds in addition to the chest injuries the doctor thought it would be best to put him on oxygen at least through the night." The nurse explained only calming the adults in the room minimally.

The three adults were trying to decide who was going to take the first shift with Chris when three was a knock at the door and Miss Marlow stuck her head in. "Could I please speak with you Mr. DeSoto?"

Roy nod his head and when Miss Marlow stepped back into the hall way Roy wiped his sweaty palms on his pants and followed her.

Roy was led to a quiet nook filled with chairs were the patients often rested and looked out the window when they were walking about the hall. Once he was seated Miss Marlow sat down also with an empty chair between them.

"I've been talking to the Lawyer who is putting together all the evidence we've been gathering in regards to Mr. Bunker." Roy could tell by the look on her face he was not going to like what she had to say to him but he reminded himself not to shoot the messenger. "We are seeing a pattern emerging from the records and everything else that we have collected but not enough proof to file charges."

"What about what Jenny told you and those three boys at the school today? What about what Chris said." Roy pushed to his feet and stomped around before resting his hands on the window and looking out across the valley while trying to calm down.

Miss Marlow let him get his frustration out and sadly looked to the floor and licked her lips. "That all helps but it's not enough. The three boys you handed over to the police officer for protection, their parents won't let them make a statement."

"But why not?" Roy could understand the fear but not the unwillingness to try and stop what was happening.

"It seems that two of the three boys have older brothers who have dealt with this problem before." Miss Marlow filled in the paramedic, "According to them every effort to make them safer back fired and drew more harassment on the children. Their afraid of that now."

Roy turned his back on the social worker and started running his hands through his hair.

"Apparently this problem has gone on for several years." Miss Marlow spoke from her seated position.

"So you're saying that there is nothing we can do to protect my children. They're both targets now because they tried to help someone."

"NO that's not what I'm saying. WE have found some rather disturbing trends concerning several students at that school. We don't have enough evidence to go to a court of Law but we do have more than enough to go to the school board and insist on several changes being made. One Mr. Bunker should never be allowed to advice parents on seeking further medical treatment. He should not even be allowed in the school medical room. WE also have enough evidence to remove Mr. Bunker and his class to a secured facility away from other students."

Miss Marlow finally rose to her feet and walked over nearer Roy DeSoto. "We believe that this will improve the safety at that school enough to get other students and parents to come forth and give us enough evidence to convict all of those involved and completely understand what is going on.

It will take us a couple of days to get our meeting with the school board and the school officials I'm asking now that you keep both of your children out of school until that happens. Chris is already in a position to be excused and you will receive and aid to help him keep up with his studies. I've talked with Dr. Brackett and he as agreed to give you a written excuse for Jenny also stating that Chris's needs will not allow him to be left alone long enough to bring Jenny to school."

"I can see that working for someone like Mrs. Baldwin, or any other single parent but I can't picture them going for them from my family." Roy could see all kinds of wholes in this plan.

"Yes of course but I will be delivering the written excuse so it will get less of a challenge and by the time they decide to challenge it any way we should have the problem solved."

Roy turned and looked at Miss Marlow with his hands on his hips. "I really don't care how you do it, My daughter is not going back to that school as long as I feel that she is in danger."

"I'm glad to hear that," I promise you that I am on your side and as soon as we can get enough evidence…" Miss Marlow didn't finish her statement but Roy understood that she was going to hit this teacher with everything the law would allow and for that he felt grateful. Now if only they could get the evidence that they needed.

Roy stood with his hand on the door to his son's room for several minutes trying to decide what he was going to tell his wife when he entered. When he finally pushed the door open he saw his sleeping son with his best friend and daughter working together to comfort his loving wife.

"What's going on?" John looked up as the door quietly closed behind Roy.

Not prepared for the direct approach Roy chewed on his tongue for a minute the spoke very quietly. "It's going to take a few days for them to be ready to make their move, she thinks it will be best if we keep Jenny out of school until they do."

"But who's going to keep Mr. Bunker from hitting Tracy with his meter stick?" Jenny brought up one complication to that plan.

After whispering amongst them selves for a while trying not to wake Chris Roy decided to take Jenny home and pack an over night bag. He knew he needed to call Cap and let him know what was going on and his thought was to try and find a safe place away from home to place his family when he was at work.

John could see that Roy was at wits end and chose to drive him and Jenny home to get organized.

As Johnny drove in the Rover Roy sat in the passenger seat turned with his arm on the back of the seat looking at his daughter seat belted in the back. John was nervous at the silence as he looked back from the road to his passengers.

"Jenny honey," Roy broke the silence.

"Yes daddy,"

"What your uncle Johnny told you about boy parts, , , don't forget it. If any boys try to hurt you I want you to kick, hit or throw something at their boy parts as hard as you can and then run away as fast as you can till you find someone you trust who can keep you safe."


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

John listened to his partner actually encourage his daughter to violence and was very concerned about his mental status. John was glad he was doing the driving as he looked at the distant angry stare in Roy's eyes.

Once they were behind the doors of the DeSoto home John encouraged Roy to take Jenny upstairs and help her pack an overnight bag and John headed straight for the phone and dialed Captain Stanley. He had just finished giving his superior a run down on what was happening in the DeSoto house hold along with a whisper of his fears concerning Roy's mental state.

After he finished on the phone John slipped into the kitchen to see what was available to fix a meal with and was just putting together some ham sandwiches and soup, planning to pack some to take to the hospital for JoAnne to eat, when he heard a knock on the door and went to answer it.

Checking threw the window John was first reluctant to open the door when he saw two boys a couple years older than Chris but when two adults stepped on the porch behind the boys and John recognized a couple of Roy's trusted neighbors, John called to Roy that he had visitors and carefully opened the door.

At John's call Roy came from the back bedroom carrying his daughter defensively but let out a sigh as he recognize his neighbors the Connors standing in his door way.

"Grayson, Jean, Boy's come on in," Roy welcomed his guests as he sat Jenny on the floor next to him but kept her close by holding a hand in the middle of her back.

"We heard about Chris," Grayson took the lead, "Is he going to be alright?"

"He's in the hospital at least for the night, their watching him for internal bleeding." Roy listed carefully, "He's hurting a lot but if all goes well tonight he'll probably come home tomorrow or the next day."

Cautious sighs of relief were shared among their guests, then after a look between the visiting parents the father spoke again. "We've has a little of the same trouble with our boys, not as severe as Chris but we're not sure what to do about it. We've talked to Mr. Bunker a few times about the boys in his class. He claims that our boys are always starting it, we know better by it's just our sons' word against his and the rest of the teachers have nothing but praise for the way that man works with the troubled boys in the school, They don't seem to believe us or out children. The boy's claim Mr. Bunker actually encourages fighting to a point as part of his method of control in his class room. "

"We heard you managed to get some rules put through the principal's office so that Mr. Bunker didn't have any right to discipline your children and that you pressed charges against the boys," Mrs. Connor spoke up feeling her husband was taking too long to get to the point of their visit. "We were hoping you could help us do the same."

Roy thought for a moment then nod his head, "Let me call the person that helped us, she needs to talk to other kids that have had troubles before she goes to the school board to demand several changes that will help."

"You need to stay together in large groups and stay away from him," Jenny spoke up still being kept close to her father's side.

Roy then pulled his wallet out and found the business card for Miss Marlow and gave her a call. It just so happened she was close by conducting her investigation so she swung by the DeSoto home to meet their friends.

After talking with Miss Marlow and trusting in Roy's advice the Connors told about other families that were having problems with Mr. Bunker and after borrowing Roy's phone a meeting of six different families was quickly pulled together in Roy's back yard. Several police officers were called in to help take statements and stepping in with the last of the officers were Hank and Emily Stanley.

While the police and Miss Marlow conducted the investigation, Emily entertained Jenny while Hank and John managed to get Roy alone in the back yard, where he could see his daughter and know that she was safe but also know that she couldn't hear all that was being said.

With the support of his Captain and partner, Roy explained that the Chris's beating was meant to be a message to Jenny to keep her mouth shut. He also explained that several of the witnesses were afraid to come forward because attacks have been made at home, and that it was going to take some time yet to gather the evidence they needed to make the school safe again. When Roy told his friends about the social worker telling him to keep his children out of school until further notice, everyone got the picture.

In the security of friendship Roy was able to admit that he was scared for himself and his family and nobody thought the less of him.

As the gathering began to break up Hank and Emily offered to take Jenny home with them but Jenny was to frightened to be anywhere but with her parents so her overnight bag and sleep sac were loaded in Johnny's Rover and Roy picked his daughter up in his protective arms and they went back to the hospital.

Roy replaced JoAnne at their son's bed side while Johnny and Jenny made sure she ate the sandwiches and grapes they brought for her. Then the three of them stepped in the room again to check on Chris before Johnny coaxed young Jenny out of the room so that Jo and Roy could talk freely. After a couple of stories Johnny was able to get Jenny to sleep on the floor in a corner of the waiting room. Through out the night all three adults took turns sitting at Chris's bed side with the other two slept on the couches in the waiting room. When morning test results were back Johnny was invited to watch the two children while Roy and JoAnne were guided to Dr. Brackett's office, where they were told that there was some evidence of internal bleeding but that he was confident it should take care of it's self with rest. The end translation, hospital bed rest and monitoring for another twenty four hours, and to answer Roy's question it was doubtful there would be any complications for grandchildren but that would have to be evaluated at a much later date.

Later that day when Chris was tired of his sister taking his blood pressure every ten minutes JoAnne walked her daughter over to visit with the Baldwin children who were visiting with their mom. While the children played together in a supervised play room JoAnne stepped in and introduced herself to the other children's mother. She was stable but still had a long way to go before she was fully back on her feet. As rotten as the women felt she was so grateful for some one her own age to talk to who understood what she was going through. Mrs. Baldwin told how the teacher Mr. Bunker convinced her that her son didn't need to go to the doctor for his arm and how she regretted listening to him. She must have thanked JoAnne a hundred times for having a daughter who took care of her children and her. When she finally drifted off to sleep out of exhaustion JoAnne left the room and vowed to get the neighborhood involved in helping her and her children.

Roy went back to work the day Chris was released from the hospital, but only because JoAnne had accepted a volunteer responsibility at an Emergency Child Shelter where Chris, Allen, Tracy and Jenny were all being cared for and kept caught up with their school work. Both Chris and Allen liked being able to lay in bed while they listened to their school instructions. They also liked taking a nap between Math and English. Jenny quickly finished her school assignments then helped Tracy with her's. The two girls then spent most of their spare time getting to know the people that ran the shelter. One of the great-grandmotherly volunteers was complaining that her arm felt numb and since she was a small lady Jenny thought her blood pressure cuff would work. The blood pressure reading Jenny got was so high she called a squad before talking to any of the adults and when the squad arrived the paramedics started lecturing Jenny on making false alarms. Jenny was persistent and JoAnne suggested that they take their own blood pressure readings and down right giggled at the speed they pulled the bio-phone open and called the ladies vitals in.

After the paramedics took the elderly volunteer to the hospital Jenny and Tracy gave each of the volunteers a quick physical. Well really they just collected and recorded vitals information on little cards someone found in a cupboard at the shelter.

Chris and Allen were still quite stiff and sore but it was amazing how Tracy opened up now that she felt safe. Later when the Baldwin children were taken to visit with their mother, JoAnne took her two and headed home.

While JoAnne and her children were safely behind the doors of the Shelter, Squad 51 was temporarily taken out of service to attend the school board meeting where Roy was expected to testify about how Mr. Bunker tried to convince him not to get medical treatment for his son. The testimony was to be made more powerful by him giving it in uniform.

Roy was the third person to give similar testimony before Miss Marlow stood up to give other information she had gathered pointing out a pattern of children being hurt when ever a complaint was filed against Mr. Bunker.

At the end of the meeting Mr. Bunker was ban from the medical room and informed that the school district was considering moving his class and program to a more secured facility. Information would be studied in detail and a decision would be announced in one month.

Roy and Johnny made their way to the squad feeling some satisfaction about the result of the meeting when they were stopped by a very angry Mr. Bunker.

"You know you're just making things worse, none of this is going to solve your son's problems," the teacher spoke in an authoritative tone.

Roy could feel his blood begin to boil but he could also feel a firm hand take hold of his upper arm from the behind him as he noticed all the right people gathering behind Mr. Bunker.

Roy took a deep breath and then spoke. "The only problem that I see my son having at this moment is you and your little group of enforcers." Roy paused in an effort to remain calm, "I think this is a good start to solving his and several other students problems."

"Just like most parents, you are totally blind to what you children's problems are," Mr. Bunker began to raise his voice, "You aren't around your children as much as I am, you don't see the things I see."

"Just what is it that you see is Chris DeSoto's problem?" Miss Marlow questioned behind him.

The angry Teacher turned to his questioner and the school board members and police officers that had gathered behind him, "His biggest problem is you Miss Marlow, and people like you. You go on telling him how good he is for stepping up and taking charge, He doesn't know how to conform, He doesn't follow the rules."

"And which are those rules," Miss Marlow continued to question, some how Roy knew she had an ulterior motive. "Just what set of rules does he not follow?"

"He's just a child," Mr. Bunker spoke with growing anger, "He needs to act like one and stop trying to take charge of every little situation that comes along, He needs to learn to do as he is told and respect his superiors."

"And just who do you believe those superiors are?" Miss Marlow questioned once again as she pointed with her pen in his direction.

"His teachers to begin with and all the other adults in his life," Mr. Bunker answered.

"Squad 51 are you available?" was heard from the radio and after sharing eye contact and agreeing gestures John pulled the HT to his mouth and declared themselves available.

"Stand by for response," was heard and Roy and John climbed in the cab of the squad and started pulling on their helmets as the police in the area began clearing the people away from the squad and motioning them out of their parking slot.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

The call turned out to be a simple extrication from the trunk of a car. Seems two siblings were fighting and the older brother threw his sisters favorite doll in the trunk of an old abandoned car in a vacant lot and slammed the lid closed on her. No one knew if there even was a key to the thing so with police approval John and Roy used the Ajax tool and a pry bar to get the trunk open and the crying girl out and into her mother's arms. A quick check showed she was alright and her mother agreed to take her to her doctor if there were any problems.

Before John and Roy left the area they used the tools on the squad to remove the trunk lid from the car to prevent anything like that from happening again.

The first thing Roy did when he got back in the squad was drape his arms over the steering wheel and burry his head for a moment then he took in a deep breath and lifted his head taking in the family they had helped. The mother was still holding her crying daughter on her hip the girl's doll held as tight as the daughter. To the side was a now ashamed brother with his hands in his pockets and his head hung low, a police officer asking him questions and taking notes. Roy let out his deep breath and looked once more at the car they had tore apart and then to his partner.

"Ready to go back to work?"

"Are you?" Johnny replied as he studied his partner.

"Yeah, I think I am." Roy responded then started the truck and put it into gear.

When the squad was backed into its place in the apparatus bay the two paramedics rolled out of the squad with thoughts of fresh coffee only to hear their Captain call them.

"Roy, you have a visitor, she's in the office. John pall I need to talk to you about an accident report the police are now investigating." With that Roy was thumbed into the office and John was directed to the back of the engine to discuss the papers in Captain Stanley's hands.

With some trepidation Roy stepped in to the office to find Miss Marlow rising to her feet at his entrance.

"HI there, Cap said you wanted to see me?" Roy responded.

"Yes," Miss Marlow responded and her tone of voice brought some hope to Roy, "I wanted to tell you that as a result of the conversation we were having with Mr. Bunker when you left he has been placed on temporary leave pending the outcome of a psychological evaluation." Roy instantly let out a deep sight of relief, "The substitute teacher that has been assigned to his class until things are settled is a former Marine with experience in Law enforcement and has worked with a few at risk youth groups. Also thanks to the little party you had at your house the other night, we now know the out of sight places where most of the incidents where children were harmed have taken place. We have a group of screened volunteers monitoring those area's and have already picked up three children in bullying behavior. You may find it interesting to know that two of the juveniles who were involved in your son's assault were truant from the nearby Junior High school, they are both former students of Mr. Bunker." "Still we can't prove that they didn't just act on their own accord and of course the boys aren't talking, accept to place blame on your son. Don't worry we've already proven their accusations to be false, but their still standing by them. Their court representative is one who has worked with them for several years now they aren't worried about any consequences of their actions, at least not yet. I'm going to be working heavily with the judge to find some appropriate consequences for their actions and hopefully some professional counseling."

"So it's done, this rest of the students are safe now?" Roy questioned, it all seemed too good to be true.

"I think the term is safer for the time being." Miss Marlow blew reality into the situation. "Mr. Bunker is still a much respected teacher, by parents and peers alike, Most of his fellow teachers think he's a wonder to behold, believing her is bringing about great changes in students that have caused problems throughout their school career. He's up for a fancy award for his success in taming the problem student. Frankly I think they're just glad to have some one take care of them and worried if we pull him out of the school that they'll have to deal with those problem student's themselves." Miss Marlow took a moment to look Roy in the eyes. "This war is far from over but at least we have won a major battle for now."

Again Roy sighed and let out a deep breath.

"I thought you'd like to know about the every little situation Mr. Bunker accused your son of taking charge of, well, I've gotten several reports of how one of Bunker's boys have tried to start something only to have your son walk in to the argument as calm as can be and encourage the other boys to walk away with him. He's quoted as saying, 'the fastest way to win a fight is to refuse to take part in one.' I have a hunch that's something you've taught him?"

"Actually it was his mother," Roy gave his wife credit, "I'm the one who tells him to just walk away and not let it get to him. I guess his mother's advice has been the best."

"Well I can tell you that a lot of your son's friends have noticed how angry the other kids get when they just walk away. They see it as a Victory and plan to keep up the practice." Miss Marlow again praised.

"Thank you for telling me that," Roy responded with a thoughtful smile, "It's nice to know."

"One of the reason's I came to speak with you. Now that we have Mr. Bunker out of the school and a more intense grounds security in place, we are going to be bussing the Baldwin children back to school. They will remain in the shelter until their mother is released from the hospital and can care for them herself but everyone involved believes it is best to get them back to a normal routine. I'm here to recommend that you do the same with your children. Of course we will let that be your judgment but I thought you might also help out with grounds security, on your days off of course."

"I'll have to talk to my wife about it, as far as putting the children back in school, as for the security thing is there some training, I mean I don't know what to do if I catch the kids beating on other kids and with out some guide lines I would probably wind up beating them to a pulp." Roy responded with a doubled up fist hitting his open palm.

"I'm impressed by your honesty and I understand your feelings, there is a short class we are asking the other volunteers to take but being as it is taught while you are on shift I'll arrange for you to work closely with one of the police officers who is volunteering with this project and that way he can show you the ropes."

Miss Marlow ended by giving Roy some literature to read and leaving him to work out the rest for himself.

After walking her to her car Roy returned to the station and found his partner and Captain on the tail board of the fire engine, "Is there something I can do to help with things here?" Roy asked.

"Possibly, how did things go in the office?" Hank looked up hopeful of good news fearful of something else.

"They've put Mr. Bunker on a leave of absence pending the out come of a psyche eval. And but a former Marine in his place for the time being. They've also beefed up play ground coverage with extra people to focus on the out of the way area's the Bunker Boys are pulling their victims into."

Roy moved closer and leaned into the engine. "They've decided it's safe enough to send the Baldwin children back to school and want me and JoAnne to send Chris and Jenny back."

"What are you going to do?" John asked as he leaned around his Captain.

"Well, they have taken care of a big part of the problem and the kids belong in school, I'm sure Jo will agree with me that they need to go back."

"It's either that or private school," Cap interjected seeing exactly where Roy stood.

"Not on my pay scale," Roy stated the obvious before sitting down next to his partner and Captain to look over the reports at hand.

Later that afternoon Roy and JoAnne spoke over the phone about the situation and it was decided that it would be best to keep Chris home for a few more days to heal but that is should be safe to send Jenny back to school.

JoAnne readily agreed telling her husband that Jenny was finding all kinds of books to read at the shelter including one on surgical procedures and how to perform them. "She really needs to get back to school where she's just applying Band-Aids," JO declared.

As the DeSoto world turned the Jenny's first day back to school was also Roy's first day back on duty. Roy was up early giving his son a good check over. He wanted to keep him home for another day or two but Chris felt he had something to prove and could only prove it by going back to school. He assured his parents that he had no intention of playing on the play ground and would just sit on the planters watching the other kids during recess.

Roy hummed and hawed and took a few deep breaths then checked his son's cracked ribs once again. Then JoAnne lay her hand on his shoulder, "We have to have faith in the system or it won't work," Jo said softly.

Roy looked up at his wife; they had talked and talked and talked about all that had happened. "The only thing to fear is fear it's self." Roy repeated the phrase that the two of them had talked about in bed long after the children were asleep.

Keeping a firm upper lip Roy granted his son permission to attend school, then gave them both a pep talk before he left for work.

"Just be sure to stay together, remember there are going to be extra people there today and it's their job to take care of any problems. If you happen to see anything suspicious you should go to them don't try and fix it yourself." Roy made sure to look each of his children in the eyes and made sure they knew all the places as school to avoid. Then he softened and gave each one a hug, extra gentle for Chris because of his ribs. "Have a good day and stay safe."

JoAnne gave her husband a long passionate kiss, that the children groaned at having to see, and begged him to keep his mind on his work and stay safe for them and Roy went on his way to work.

Feeling the bus could be a week link in the new monitoring system and given that her children had been in the middle of a brawl on the bus once before, JoAnne decided to drive her children to school. As she arrived she realized that she wasn't the only one who felt that way as several of the neighbors and other friends she knew were also there walking their children up to the building. Jo did the same doing her best to keep Chris from getting his ribs bumped in the sea of children. As she walked her children to the door she noticed the extra people, some she knew were police officer others were from the school district. Everyone was trying to make the children feel comfortable and not scared, but Jo had to raise a few eyebrows at some of the smiles. Some looked painted on, others stiff and starched there were those that were genuine and they were in the majority but there was still some strain in the system.

Once the bell rang and the students were taken inside the building and to their classes the parents talked to each other for a while outside and then gradually pealed away and headed home to do what ever they could to stay calm until their children came home again.

Once in the class room Jenny was quick to wave to Tracy and each had a genuine smile on their face. School went fine and when the first recess came Jenny and Tracy found they didn't have to work for be in a group they were welcomed by several girls to play hop scotch.

Chris had to ease himself into his desk but found several of his buddies from the neighborhood and scouts were willing to sharpen his pencils for him and do some of his running so that he wouldn't have to get up and down from his desk it was clearly painful to move.

At recess the boys sat around on the planters near where the girls were playing hop scotch and when a group of Bunker Boys walked over looking like they were going to do something to send a message the boys all got up and stood in a line between the Bunker Boys and the girls playing hop scotch.

Before anything could happen the extra playground workers intervened and the Bunker boys were sent to another part of the play ground while the rest of the kids sat down again and the girls played hop scotch. While they say and while the girls were waiting for their turn the topic of conversation was how to stay safe and what and where to hit if and only if you felt you had to. For the most part the word was spread as to places around the school to avoid and the protection found in groups.

During lunch recess their group had grown, they wanted to feel safe and by talking amongst themselves they had each convinced themselves how to go about that and still be the good kids their parents wanted them to be.

During the last recess there was a slight disturbance in the far corner of the school yard caused by some older possible even high school aged boys. The Play ground workers quickly grouped up to follow the principle out to deal with that situation as the other children were directed to a quieter part of the play ground nearer the building.

Before they even got out of the building Chris and some of his friends along with Jenny, Tracy and a few of the more determine minded girls were corralled and elbowed and shoved until they were being herded down the hall toward the lunch room. Several of the group managed to get away but the Bunker Boys doing the herding, including some Junior High school aged boys were focused on Chris, Allen, Tracy, and Jenny and several of those who were tight with them.

They knew they were being herded toward the Janitors closet, A room that also housed the entrance to the stair well that led to the top of the school. This was one of those to avoid at all cost places at the school but the principal had felt the best way to avoid problems with that location was to keep the door locked rather than to worry about keeping some one in that area.

The tension was mounting as each of the ten children being pushed and shoved, and yes they were particularly brutal toward Chris and Allen and their injured ribs and other injured areas, and they were all being directed to the Janitor's closet.

Everyone really started to worry when they looked up to see Mr. Bunker himself standing at the door with the key in hand unlocking it.

"We're going to take our school back," one of the pushing boys claimed and Chris and his group took hold of the younger ones and stopped starting to bunch up with their backs against each other forming a circle of protection. Those who didn't start the protective circle soon joined in and the stronger ones pushed the smaller and younger ones in behind them to protect them including Chris and Allen.

"It's our school too and we're not going to give it to you to terrorize us with it." Gerry Connor declared, He and his brother had spent the long weekend talking after they had met with police and social workers at the DeSoto House after Chris had been injured. They had heavily discussed ways to avoid a fight but also were given permission to do what they had to, to keep from being puppets or get pushed around.

"Well if you haven't noticed there's more of us than there is of you and we all know who's the toughest."

"Do we?" Chris poked a shoulder into the outer circle. There were ten of them and that included Jenny, Tracy and three other girls all younger than the group of boys that were surrounding them. Thirteen at the count the smallest of them being bigger than the biggest of the other group some of them no longer in elementary school,

Chris was really hoping that it was true what they said when they said the bigger you are the harder you fall.


	14. Chapter 14

Author's note: I have to run now and take care of some other non writing related stuff. I feel this is to a stopping point although a cliff hanger I'm going to let you have what I've got done and not make you wait for the rest to play out. If you'd rather, consider this a warning that you might want to wait for the next chapter and read them both.

Chapter 14

The sound of chains being pulled through the crash bars of the three doors in the room brought even more terror to the children in the center of the room keeping their backs to each other and constantly pushing Chris, Allen and Jenny into the center of their circle, they thought of the kids that had managed to escape and they could only hope that they were running for help.

"All right guys," Jason Connor spoke softly, fighting in side with everything he had to control his fear "Looks like their not going to let us walk away from this one guess we're gon'na have to show 'em what our folks have been teachin us." His brother Gerry gave him a strong nod of agreement as he tightened up his arm muscles and pulled into a defensive stance.

"Yeah," another boy in the inside circle spoke softly, "Let's make sure we give as much or more than we get."

"Just remember to make every move count," a third boy bolstered his and other's courage. There had been a few soldiers in these boys parents. They had been taught that sometimes you have to fight for your freedom and rights and to protect what is important to you. And in recent day's they had all had a lot of one on one talks with those parents to get a pretty good idea when to fight and when not to fight.

The group in the inner circle did just as they had been taught by their parents, they kept their backs together and held their ground refusing to start anything and waiting and hoping the other group would fall for their bluff. The first punch was thrown by one of the Bunker boys, two of them at once really, it was an obvious attempt to break into the circle and the next punch was obviously aimed at Chris's already tender ribs. However a nice hard cast on the arm of Allen Baldwin proved not only a painful block it also proved a mean battering ram to the stomach of the boy who threw the punch.

"Get 'em in the Boy Parts!" came the cry of Charge from one of the smallest ones in the group and Chris heeding his sister's advice wrapped his arms around him to protect his injuries ribs and stomach muscles and bowled in to the biggest kid with his strongest shoulder.

Allen has drawn blood with his cast twice and still blocked most every swing that was thrown in his direction. Jenny's size was proving to me more of an advantage than a disadvantage as she moved below the main fighting stomping as hard as she could on feet and throwing a well placed fist when ever she could. Anyone who tried to throw a punch at her was thrown off balance because of her size and easily pushed over where feet could find the mark fists had missed.

The first good kick she gave off was a bit low for her target but when the kid swung back she ducked and with a doubled up fist gave him all she had and he was brought to his knees.

Most of the other girls huddled together and tried to stay in the protection of one of the boys but they had found they could stomp on insteps of feet and Tracy found it particularly help full to kick at the backs of knees, sending the boys off balance. She got one boy from the side and he went down.

Through out the battling the inside group did their best to protect each other's backs and stay grouped together Jenny however had one target she was working for and moved outside the group. Small enough to go unnoticed until it was too late Jenny reached up and pulled the fire alarm knowing it would bring the help they needed.

The sound of the ringing alarm brought panic to the instigating parties as they stood stunned for a moment while the defending parties got in several unmatched blows. Seven boys lay on the floor bleeding or just curling up on their sides in pain. Two boys stood arm in arm with blood dripping from cuts on their heads, but they were standing. One of the last punches was more of a tackle from Chris and out of his control the boy he barreled into turned and rolled before crashing into the wall and ramming little Jenny in to the hard surface behind him.

Two of the Bunker boys decided it was time to retreat and began to undo the chains on one of the doors. It was a fumbling job and the keys were dropped twice but when the door did open there were two off duty police officers waiting and ready to contain the boys with a single set of hand cuffs wrapped around the door handle before they moved in to break up the fight.

With the entry of other adults Donald Bunker could no longer stand back and allow his boys to fight on their own. He took the injured Jenny and another small girl up in his arms and started up the stairs to the roof. Three of the bigger of the Bunker boys followed pulling Jason Connor and Allen Baldwin with them.

Chris was left on the floor unable to catch his breath and the five boys who were still standing held their hands in the air as the police officers were telling them to do while other adults including the school nurse started going to the aid of the downed and bleeding students. The door to the roof was slammed shut and something was used to secure it from the top.

00000

"**Station 51, Station 110, Engine 39, pulled Fire alarm at Englewood Elementary School , 319 education way repeat 319 education way. Time out 14:42"**

Most pulled fire alarms at elementary schools were curious children being dared to see what would happen but the feeling of a fist in the stomachs of Captain Stanley, Roy DeSoto and John Gage made each of them sure it was much more than that this time.

Roy knew the way well, he didn't need any navigation help from his partner. He also was driving a little faster than usual.

"Okay there Roy," John commented after they took a sharp turn a little closer to being on two wheels than he felt comfortable with, "we can't do any one any good it we don't get there in one piece and you know as well as I do that it's probably just a false alarm. Maybe some kid pulled the alarm because they were scared but if that's the case I'm sure the bullies backed off real fast."

"You're right it's just that," Roy slowed down just a little but was still driving faster than normal.

Hank sat in the engine behind the squad urging Mike to keep up with Roy. He knew if there was a problem when they arrived, that Roy's children would very likely be involved and if that was the case he had to be on hand to keep his Sr. medic under control.

The radio coming alive with a call of two additional Squads to the scene at the elementary school and information being given to report to police officer in charge brought the gas peddle closer to the floor on both emergency vehicles.

**00000**

Station 51 was first on sight as the police officer on the perimeter waved the emergency trucks to the north east side of the building where other police cars were parked in a defensive grid. Most of the students were lined up in classes on the far south side of the building as the teachers accounted for each student.

The fire department was stopped short of the police blockade and the paramedics quickly rushed into the cafeteria police officers hurrying to help them with their gear.

The school nurse had done triage and Roy and John were directed to the most severely injured. Chris was on the top of the list with breathing difficulty. The nurse was quick to help set up the oxygen and place a mask oh Chris's face as she held him in an upright position against herself. "It was all to well planned they caught us off guard by staging a decoy fight on the far corner of the play ground. Then when we went to break that up they drug the ones who had testified against them here." The nurse apologized to the man she knew was Chris's father as she cradled Chris against herself tears streaming down her face. "WE had the place locked up but He came back with the keys,"

There was no question who the **he** was that she was talking about but Roy was professional enough to stay focused on his patient. A quick hands on assessment and Roy could tell that his son's biggest problem was severe spasms in his diaphragm, something he had treated his partner for many times. Roy could feel the muscles fighting as he lay his hand across them and let its comforting warmth help them to ease up and perform as the brain directed. Repositioning his son slightly he could feel the muscles ease and see the deeper breaths his son was then able to take. As Chris eased in to normal respirations Roy scanned the room for his daughter.

The girl Tracy was being cradled by her teacher and the older of the Connor boys was talking to the police officer using his hands as much as his mouth consistently pointing to the janitor's room behind where Roy was and two police officers stood with their guns drawn watching the door at the top of the stairs.

00000

Outside Hank had tried to hurry in behind his paramedics, expecting one or both of Roy's children to be in side and injured compromising his sr. medic's performance, but he was stopped as soon as he got off the truck. The police needed his ladders to get on the roof do asses and deal with a hostage situation there.

00000

Back inside Roy had realized that his daughter was not in the room and feared what that meant. The people she trusted were all here it was not likely she would be anywhere else unless she was forced to.

"Is he alright?" Roy heard his partner ask and he turned to see him jerking his head toward Chris.

"Yeah, for the most part, it's just a diaphragm spasm it's easing up now. How about yours?" Roy asked of the boy with blood all over his face.

"Some broken facial bones. Jaw, nose and a cheek bone I think. Said he got hit in the face by a kid with a cast on his arm." Johnny repeated as he grabbed for the bio-phone and opened it up.

"Allen?" Roy questioned as he turned to his son.

Chris just nod his head as he lay still on the ground, "He kept them from hitting me in the stomach again then when two of them ganged up on him he started swinging." Chris whispered, "They got what they had coming to 'em."

As Roy scanned the room again he saw a lot of blood. Mostly superficial cuts and bloody noses but a lot of blood. He also saw a lot of boys curled up on their sides using their hands to protect their groin areas, and for just a brief moment he felt guilt at having told his daughter to remember the vulnerable area of the male anatomy. But only for a moment, they had tried to hurt his children they had a right to defend themselves.

Feeling a small hand touch his and seeing the next set of paramedics enter the room to take care of the rest of the children, Roy turned back to his son. "What is it Chris?"

"He took Jen," Chris spoke getting panicked again.

Roy reached out and held his hand on the boy's stomach as he whispered a calming "shhhh,"

"He took Jen to the roof, with some other kids," Chris got out for his father. "Don't be mad at her dad she pulled the fire alarm, I know there isn't a fire be we needed the help. Please don't get mad at her."

"I won't," Roy brushed the side of his son's face with his other hand as he again felt the spasms in his son's stomach ease up "She didn't do anything wrong," Roy continued to calm, "And neither did you, now just relax and let those muscles relax."

As John made contact with Rampart Roy called out Vital signs on his son and felt certain he would be alright, just need some time to finish healing.

Using the video from the security camera in the area the police were quick to separate the instigators from the defenders and made sure they weren't in the same ambulances. As they came to load up Chris Roy quickly grabbed a parental permission form and signed it handing it to the next paramedic. "Chris, you're going to be alright, you know the people at Rampart and they'll take care of you. I need to stay here for Jen, do you understand?" Chris nod his head behind the oxygen mask.

"It's not that I love her more than you, it's just that you are going to friends and I can't leave Jenny here alone."

"I know Dad," Chris whispered behind his Mask, "Jen need's you." He was then taken away and Roy with Johnny on his heels made his way to where they were getting ready to climb on the roof.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Hank caught a glimpse of his paramedics out of the corner of his eye and it was all he could do to head them off. Placing both hands on Roy's upper arms he pushed him back against a wall and held him tight. "Not yet Roy we have to let the police clear the way for us."

"But Cap, My daughter," Roy started to protest until his captain stopped him by holding up his hand.

"This is their area, Roy, if you rush up that ladder before they get things under control no one knows what could happen. Jennifer could be severely injured or worse. How's Chris?"

"He's going to be alright," Roy answered knowing his Captain was right but hating with every fiber in his body the mere thought of waiting to go to his daughter's aid. "He's having spasms in his," Roy was at a loss for words as he motioned to his own stomach with his hand. "He's having trouble breathing but they'll take care of him at Rampart."

Hank managed to get eye contact with John and knew he was as much of a risk for bolting before the police had things under control and Roy was. Some how he managed to place the two of them in the capable hands of the rest of his crew before he left to report to the chief who had just arrived on scene.

00000

Jennifer couldn't catch her breath, when the big oalf smashed her against the wall she felt something pop in two places in her shoulder and the whole thing hurt real bad. When Mr. Bunker grabbed her under the arms and started tossing her around like a rag doll along with another little girl she didn't know all that well. Her shoulder hurt even more. She knew what needed to be done but Mr. Bunker was doing everything wrong to take care of her and she couldn't do it herself the way he was carrying her. Still she reached over with her good hand and pulled her other arm against her stomach and held it as tight as she could.

Once on the roof of the school Mr. Bunker placed both girls on the ground and smiled at the three boys who had brought the two other 'problem student' to the roof with them.

Mr. Bunker was in the process of using some boards on the room to secure the door, "There now no one will join our little party will they."

Jennifer managed to pull the bottom of her t-shirt up over her elbow to support her injured shoulder, she was still in a lot of pain but at least her other arm was free to do something else. The other little girl was paralyzed with fear and stood nearby crying, a sound Mr. Bunker seemed to like to hear.

Mr. Bunker started pacing back and forth swinging a narrow tree branch he had found on the roof and slapping his opposite palm with it as the walked and talked. The words he spoke were words Jenny had heard before. Stuff about obeying your superiors, your elders he called them, doing what you're told and only what you're told, until you learn what it means to be a leader.

The three Bunker boys seemed to be listening with pride at their leader's speech but Jenny, Allen and Jason were looking around and watching the firemen and police move in and watching for a chance to make a move.

Cindy, Jenny had managed to learn the other girl's name, was trying her hardest to keep her crying as quiet as possible. Still her tears poured down her face before dripping into her clothes. She was a year older than Jenny and in one of the second grade classes. Why she had been targeted no one seemed to know.

As Jenny was watching the action around them she noticed the tips of a ladder being raised against the building behind Mr. Bunker and turning to make eye contact with her fellow hostages she was able to shift her eyes back to the ladder and they saw it too.

When Jenny saw a hand reach the top rung of the ladder she gave Cindy a gentle shove and whispered for her to run to the ladder as she ran Mr. Bunker tried to swat her with is tree limb but Jenny managed to get a hold of the end of it with her good arm and held it back.

Allen and Jason notice the surprise on the three boy's faces and managed to pull their arms free as Jason administered an elbow to the ribs and then a karate chop to the throat of the Bunker boy closest to him. That boy placed his hands to his throat and sunk to the roof top gasping for breath.

Allen had already stomped on the instep of the boy holding him and liking the results of the chop to the throat swung his casted elbow at a similar target on his captor. He missed his mark getting that boy hard in the caller bone area but a follow up bunch to the bread basket gave the desired results and the third boy decided that he didn't want the same so he took a couple of steps back keeping his fists at the ready but still in retreat the score has changed instead of three on two it was now two on one.

Mr. Bunker tried regaining control by grabbing Jenny by her good arm and twisting it in his hands intentionally causing pain. Jenny managed to use a trick she had learned in a Stranger Danger class she took and pulled her weight against Mr. Bunkers thumb and managed to unlock his grip on her falling down on the roof in her efforts, both Allen and Jason were coming to her aid when Mr. Bunker stepped on her good wrist pinning her to the roof top as he reached out and took hold of Allen's casted arm. He noticed that the cast how had a good crack in it and in an effort to cause him pain started twisting the cast as the crack.

"Why is it that you children will not obey your elders and do what your told?" he spoke with a growl in his voice as he nearly brought Allen to his knees.

Jenny's arms might not have been any help at the moment but her feet were unrestrained. She swung her feet up and as hard as she could, and made clear contact with Mr. Bunker's boy parts and his eyes nearly popped out of his head. Allen took advantage of his change of condition and with his good hand administered a tight fisted punch right at Mr. Bunker's throat.

"Because you only half know what you're talking about," Jenny answered Mr. Bunker's last question at the top of her lungs with all the anger she had accumulated, "And you're too mean to listen to anyway!"

00000

The police was making their quiet assent up the ladder hoping to be able to sneak up behind those hostage takers and disarm the situation prior to motioning up the firemen to help the children down to safety. The last thing the lead police officer expected when he slowly eased his head over the edge of the roof as a panicked young girl ran at him and jumped into his arms. It was all he could do to catch her as he momentum would have been enough to topple the ladder over back wards had not there been two firemen at its base holding it in place against the building. It took the police officer a couple of precious seconds to get young frightened Cindy securely in his arms and several more precious seconds to hand her off to the police officer next on the ladder. Then and only then was the police officer able to engage with the perpetrators on the roof. Knowing it would take time for his back up to be there only slowed him down long enough to see Jenny administer her effective kick and the boy with the broken arm land a punch to the windpipe.

As Mr. Bunker crumbled to the gravel covered roof top, Jenny was trapped under him she couldn't move.

The first police officer held his gun ready and moved it from standing boy to standing boy so no one made a move. The next two officers on the roof were directed to Mr. Bunker and as soon as hand cuffs were applied he was rolled off of young Jenny with no effort to keep from doing more harm to what ever injuries he had.

As he was roll Jenny managed to roll up on her knees next to him One arm still tucked in her shirt and hurting and now her other arm hurting with the slightest movement.

"He's not getting any air in him you have to fix his airway." Jenny instructed and since the police officers had almost as much first aid training as young Jenny they did make a few adjustments to the man and everyone hear she shrill wheeze of his first inhaled breath.

00000

Roy was waiting at the bottom of the ladder with every muscle twitching. The ladder was loaded with police officers ready to make what they hoped would be a surprise attack. His captain's hand was still firmly clamped around his upper arm and Roy was grateful it was there. He needed to know someone would keep him from making a mistake in his frightened father mindset that he was now in. Mike and Marco were holding firm to the ladder making sure is stayed in position as the police officers climbed.

Roy heard the whisper to move out and turned his eyes to the top of the ladder just as the first officer managed was struggling to catch and then get a good old of a young girl who seemed to have been thrown at him.

Once she was under control they girl was handed down to the next officer on the ladder and then to the next as Cap and Roy reached together to take her from their hands at the first possible height.

When he could Roy gathered the girl in his arms and tried to comfort her. Somewhere were parents who felt for her just as he did his children. After a quick assessment where no injuries were found she was handed over to Chet who started talking to her as he gently carried her to the waiting ambulance attendants more completely.

Chet had just turned to leave with Cindy when the call came over the edge of the roof, "situation secured."

Roy was the first one on the ladder with his Captain right behind him, closer than was normal, John was behind the captain and Brice and Bellingham came up after them.

Roy was so relieved to see his daughter once he got to the roof. She was kneeling at the side of the notorious Mr. Bunker and when she saw her father she lifted one knee and pushed herself to a stand turning to him.

"We have some significant airway difficulties here," Jenny spoke taking time to enunciate each word as if she were teaching someone to say them for the first time, "He got a hard sock in the throat."

A stunned Roy was starting to make a move to where his daughter was directing him when Captain Stanley once again took hold of his upper arm. "I think we can let the next guy take care of him," Cap advised and Brice was the one to oblige with his partner Bellingham to assist him.

"This guy over here has the same problem," Jason Connor called out nodding to the kid he had put down, "Just not quite as sever."

Johnny raced to that boy's aid and that left Roy to kneel down in front of his daughter. Seeing her right arm tucked in her turned up shirt Roy carefully reached out to hold her but she flinched away and cried as his reach got close to her shoulder.

"I hurt daddy, both arms," Jenny cried her left arm hanging motionlessly at her side.

Roy quickly took his turn out coat off and spread it out on the gravely roof they turned back to his hurting little girl. "I'm going to lay you down right here honey, but I want you to let me do all the work."

Roy then carefully and with the help of his Captain who seemed to be attached at his side, placed his arm around Jenny's neck and under her bottom and lifted her from her feet and gently laid her on the turnout coat blanket. As he did so Roy felt a rather large lump on the back of his daughter's head. While Captain Stanley used his body to keep the sun out of the young girls eyes her father carefully continued his exam, when he pulled the neck line of her shirt away slightly he could see for certain that she had a fractured Collarbone and an obviously dislocated shoulder. All else seemed to be in place until he reached her left arm. As tender as it was to touch Roy was certain it was fractured.

Since he felt that Jenny's arm splint was superior to the ones carried on the squad Roy asked his daughter a question that made her day. "Would it be alright if I used the supplies in your first aid Kit?"

"Yes daddy, any time," Jenny answered, "but only you and Uncle Johnny."

Her special, made out of newspaper, splint was applied to her left arm and since Chet saw fit to bring a bunch of the card board splints up the ladder with him when he came Roy put one of those over the top to secure the elbow better.

The pediatric cuff was perfect for her little arms as he read then recorded her vital signs. Everything was a little high but Roy was sure his were high too.

"Do you need a triangular bandage?" Chet asked as he tried to assist in the care of the little girl.

"Yeah," Roy agreed with a smile, "But not that one," he glanced and the one in the box that Chet was about to open.

Chet realized quickly what he meant and playfully bopped himself up the side of the head. "Well of course not, not for our Jenny." Chet then looked through the supplies in the opened first responder's kit at their side. "Let me see, we have flowers, stripes, Barbie, and race cars, what would be to your liking ma'lady?"

"Barbie," Father and daughter spoke in unison, and Barbie it was.

Mr. Bunker and the boy who had similar injuries were whisked to the ladders and lowered down to a waiting ambulance. Bellingham was sent in with them since their injuries were of highest priority.

Roy was tenderly binding his daughter's wounds and waiting for another stokes to be brought on the roof as Johnny and Brice were checking out the rest of the kids. The boy Allen got in the shoulder with his cast was given a plain triangular bandage and left to the supervision of the police officer who held the key to his cuffs, the other boy in cuffs at his side. Johnny then turned to Jason Connor whom he'd met at Roy's house the night Chris had been injured. There were plenty of bruises but nothing more.

Brice sat Allen down on the Trauma Box and was looking him over; there were his original injuries he was still recovering from but there were also a few fresh bruises and superficial cuts, and blood every where. Allen's cast was a mess. Not only was it covered with the blood of at lease half a dozen other boys it was split and cracked in at least three places.

"It appears to me that you haven't been treating this cast properly," Brice began as he was cleaning up the small cuts and abrasions on the boy's face. "You know you should be more careful then maybe you wouldn't have gotten the cast on in the first place."

Roy reached over and placed a hand on Brice's shoulder to stop him for saying more then gave Allen his most sincere expression. "Thank you for protecting my son Chris and for all you've done for Jenny. I know they both would be in much worse shape if it weren't for what you did."

Roy then turned to Craig Brice, "Don't chastise him, he's a real hero here today."

A ladder truck was used to lower Jenny to the ground and Roy couldn't get to the ground fast enough to meet her there but Captain Stanley was on hand to steady the stokes the last few feet before it was placed on the stretcher and as the attendants were strapping her in he knelt near her head and talked with her until her father was once again at her side.

"That was kind of fun," Jenny said of her ride down in the stokes. "Do I have to get hurt to do it again or can you arrange something?"

Hank just laughed at the girl and carefully ruffled the hair on top of her head. "I'll have to see what I can do, we can't have you getting hurt just to get a ride in a stokes now can we."

At that moment Hank was planning to add stokes rides to the next fireman's picnic but he knew Jenny was planning on joining them on their next stokes training.

The stretcher was loaded in the ambulance and Roy was helped in along with both Allen and Jason, and they were on their way.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

As the ambulance eased over the curb and onto the road, Jenny started whimpering. Worse than that, her blood pressure started dropping.

"It hurts daddy, help it." Jenny pleaded through her tears and all Roy could think of was that he couldn't give her any thing for the pain because of the lump on the back of her head.

"Shouldn't you raise her legs?" Jason questioned. He had been in one of the classes Roy had taught Chris's scout troop. "She's starting to look kind a pale don't you think?"

Realizing the young girl's cry to her father wasn't a hallucination and that the medic on board was truly her father, the ambulance attendant moved to pull some pillows out of a shelf and Roy snapped around enough to help lift his daughter's legs for them to be placed under. Once that was done the attendant offered respectfully to help gather fresh vitals to be called in and Roy was able to become a paramedic once again.

Because both arms were splinted and moving them was painful, Roy cut his daughter's pants and placed an adult sized blood pressure cuff on her thigh to get a reading while the ambulance attendant counted a pulse and respirations. Jenny was going into shock; there was no question of that.

Dr. Brackett confirmed that diagnosis once he received the readings and asked if there was a parent on hand to give permission to start an IV.

"Doc, it's my daughter," Roy informed a stunned doctor. "Yes I give permission now just tell me what to start."

Roy was as careful as possible about rolling the triangular bandage away from his daughter's forearm to look for a vein, but he still caused her more pain. The veins were fading so he put the tourniquet on and let it sit for a minute as he stroked her arm toward it. The first stick missed its mark and a bruise started forming.

As Roy held pressure while trying to gain the courage to try again he wished he had insisted that another paramedic ride in with his daughter. But at the time she was loaded he knew a herd of fire captains couldn't have kept him from climbing in with her. Asking the ambulance driver to stop for just a moment, Roy managed to get the IV established the second time. And with the application of a piece of tape they were on their way again while Roy finished taping the IV down and double checking the drip.

Again Jenny started whimpering and complaining of pain and Roy's insides were tying in knots. He couldn't even hold her hand, either one, without causing her pain. He tried to place his hand on her head to offer comfort but that hurt her too. "Hang in there honey we're getting you to the hospital as quick as we can and they're ready for you. We'll get you all fixed up as soon as we can." Roy spoke, fighting with all he had to hold back his tears.

"When I first hurt my arm," Allen spoke up holding his broken and bloodied cast. "Jenny told me to put ice on it to keep it from swelling. I did when I got home and it didn't hurt nearly as much. Would Ice help Jenny?"

Roy was feeling more like a first aid student than a seasoned paramedic at the moment but if it would help his daughter he could swallow is pride. Roy gave an agreeing nod to the ambulance assistant and he reached into one of the ambulance cupboards and started pulling out the instant Ice packs. He handed two to Roy to open and squeeze to get the chemicals within to turn cold. Roy carefully packed a couple around his daughter's injured shoulder while the ambulance attendant opened the other two and squeezed them in preparation to be applied to Jenny's other arm. Roy then grabbed two extra blankets and tucked them around his daughter to keep the rest of her from getting too cold while the ambulance attendant activated one more ice pack to place against the lump on the back of Jenny's head.

As the ice grew colder Jenny's whimpering lessened, and with a sigh Roy turned to his other patients… er… teachers. "Thanks boy's."

Roy was just checking another set of vitals as the ambulance pulled into the drive to Rampart and was pleased to find her blood pressure up and her pulse slowing down. She was stabilizing. She even had a calming smile for her daddy as the ambulance backed up to the door.

A cry of pain escaped from Jenny as the gurney jerked when it was pulled from the ambulance, and again when the wheels were dropped to the ground making it the same level as the treatment table she would be moved to. With his heart in his throat Roy moved toward his daughter, only to feel a grip on his arm holding him back.

Roy turned to face the only person who could keep him from his daughter's side and let the first tears fall for Dixie to see.

"We've got it from here Roy. You know as well as I do she's in good hands and Dr. Brackett and Dr. Early will do everything they can for her."

Giving a shuttering sigh Roy could only nod his head as he pulled himself together once again.

"Chris… where… how is he?" Roy stammered.

"He's in radiology right now they're doing a CT scan with contrast to make sure he hasn't reinjured the tears that were bleeding from his last beating. His vitals were stable so at this point it's just a precaution. We called JoAnne; she's on her way and should be here any minute."

Roy bit his lip and nodded his head, again unable to speak for a moment for fear of loosing to his emotions once again. "I'll be okay, please go to Jenny. She needs you more than I do. I… I'll wait. I'll stay… stay here and wait for JoAnne."

Dixie paused only for a moment to make sure Roy was as okay as any father could possibly be under the current circumstances before she did as he had asked of her and went to the side of the young mini medic, now a patient.

Roy remained rooted to the spot in the waiting room where Dixie had left him; his eyes glued to the door Dixie had entered. He was watching the portable x-ray machine maneuver through the doorway when he was startled by the call of his name and turned to see his wife coming through the door near admitting.

Roy turned his full attention to his wife and took her into his arms as she hurried toward him. He needed her arms around him every bit as much as she needed his arms around her as she sobbed into his shoulder.

"We should have kept them home; we shouldn't have sent them back to that place." She cried and repeated. She was still repeating it when Johnny came to their side. John didn't have to ask, he could tell by what he was seeing that neither parent knew much about their children, but he asked anyway.

"Any word?"

"Chris is in Radiology getting a CT," Roy repeated with little if any emotion, "I just saw the portable x-ray go into Jenny's room."

Both paramedics' attention was drawn to the gurney being moved toward the elevator on the way to ICU. The only adult injured in the fracas was being moved while on a respirator because his windpipe had been collapsed. Fully conscious, the man turned his head to give Roy a glare that clearly showed his distaste for him but Roy didn't much care at the moment. A raised lump in the groin area, wet from melted ice brought a scoff from Roy's throat.

As the elevator door closed behind him, Roy started rubbing his wife's back and issuing calming and soothing sounds to her. His children were hurt but they would survive. He was sure.

"They gave worse than they got," Roy spoke softly to his wife and she stopped her crying to look up at him.

"You can say that again," Johnny agreed.

"What are you saying?" JoAnne nearly demanded to know, "They didn't start this…"

"No," Roy stopped her quickly. "They didn't start anything. They were corralled by a group of the Boy's Mr. Bunker works, or rather, worked with. When they realized they couldn't get away they stood their ground in a way those boys were not prepared for."

Roy watched the X-Ray tech hurry from Jenny's room with the x-ray films under his arm and watched as Dixie and Dr. Early re-entered the room. Still he kept his wife in his arms, holding her tight, because his children could not be held at the moment.

He had just noticed Miss Marlow come through the door when a nurse approached him with news on Chris.

"The scan looked pretty good," she reported. "I can take you to see him now and the Dr. will talk with you when he get's the rest of the lab results."

Roy paused only long enough to step up to the nurse's desk and let them know where he would be when they had word on Jenny before following the nurse to his son with Uncle Johnny on their heels.

Chris was found resting comfortably and on oxygen through a nasal cannula. It was clear to everyone that he was relieved to see his parents, but his first words were, "Where's Jenny, did she get hurt?"

"She got banged up a little," Roy made a clear understatement so as not to upset his son. "She's in the Emergency room now. They just finished taking her x-rays and are waiting for them to be developed. They'll come get us here when they know anything."

A police officer came in to get a statement from Chris and, as painful as it was for him to move, he still climbed into his mother's arms before he told his side of what had happened. He had just finished when Dr. Brackett came to the door and, with a silent shift of his head, beckoned two parents out into the hallway.

"I'll stay with Chris," Johnny responded to the look and helped lift the bruised small body out of his mother's arms and back into bed.

"What's wrong?" Chris asked.

"The Doctor just wants to talk with your parents for a moment then I'm sure they'll come tell you what he told them," Johnny told the frightened boy.

"Yeah but only the not so bad stuff. They won't really tell me anything." Chris challenged his statement.

In the hallway Dr. Brackett motioned the worried parents to a seat and then took one himself. "As I'm sure you've already guessed Roy, your daughter has a broken collarbone and a dislocated shoulder as well as minor fractures in the radius and ulna in her other arm. The problem at hand is the muscle spasms in her shoulder area. I need your permission to use a short term general anesthetic to put her out while we put the shoulder back in place and set the collarbone."

"Of course," Roy quickly agreed, knowing that would be the best way to fix his daughter up.

"Can we see her first?" JoAnne requested.

"I would really like to get her out as fast as we can," Dr. Brackett responded. "She's in a lot of pain and with her head injury I would rather not give her anything that might mask symptoms of further problems there. Hopefully once we get her bones set we'll be able to minimize the pain and treat it with milder drugs that won't be as much of a problem."

"We understand," Roy spoke for the both of them. "Are the fractures bad?"

"Not necessarily, but the combination of the injuries and the spasms have us wanting to be cautious. I was also hoping Roy would be willing to be with her when she wakes up, Just to keep her calm." Kell Brackett then turned to JoAnne. "Nothing personal, but Roy is familiar with the hospital procedures. I'm sure you'll be able to see her just a few minutes after Roy does."

"Just do what is best for my daughter please, Doctor." JoAnne made a teary request before bringing a tissue to her face and hiding her eyes in her husband's shoulder.

"I'll go with your verbal permission for now, but a nurse will be by soon with papers to sign." Dr Brackett stood to leave. "Someone will come and get you when we're ready for you." He spoke to Roy and then hurried off to help his patient.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

"Okay we stopped the drip she should be coming around with in five to ten minutes." The nurse informed Roy as he sat on the stool at his daughter's side. He was dressed in scrubs and had a disposable surgical cap on his head. It didn't take him long to realize why he'd had to wait longer than he thought he would.

While he had waited he thought hard of places he could touch his daughter with out hurting her He was planning to focus his touches on her lower chest away from the broken collarbone and dislocated shoulder. But now he sat looking over the upper body cast that had been required to keep the shoulder and collarbone in proper place. The doctor had explained that the cast was more do to her age and what he believed would be an unwillingness to stay as still as she needed to be for as long as she needed to be.

"Besides Dr. Brackett told me I have to give this one the very best of care" Dr Hunter smiled and gave the worried father a pat on the shoulder. "She'll be as good as new in a few weeks and from some of the other work I've been getting form this brawl it could have been worse. It's a good thing she's not a boy I understand they have six urologists working on the rest of the bunch. And they've emptied half the ice machines in the hospital."

As Roy sat watching for the first signs of consciousness from his daughter he replayed the conversation he had had with his son and wife. Chris had been determined that they weren't telling him the truth and that his sister was hurt worse than they were letting on.

When Dixie came in with the papers for them to sign she informed everyone that she was already under and while Roy read over and signed the papers Dixie was able to convince Chris that his sister was going to be alright and that he was going to have to share his room with her once she was all patched up.

Knowing they were going to keep both children in the same room brought peace and calm to everyone in the room, Even Uncle Johnny. Cap had relieved Roy from duty to attend to his family and Johnny hung around until Roy's replacement arrived.

Once little fingers started twitching Roy leaned close to Jenny's ear and started calling her name. He gently toyed with her hair and brushed his fingers to the side of her face.

When her eyes started blinking and fighting to open Roy pulled back so that she could see him better.

"It's okay Jenny, time to wake up now." Roy soothed as he kept his hand to the side of her face and worked toward the uninjured shoulder clear of plaster.

"Daddy?" Jenny whispered in fear.

"I'm right here sweetheart, you're all right, you're safe." Roy calmed searching his mind franticly trying to think what his daughter needed to hear most at the moment. "You're at Rampart and they've just fixed your shoulder and your arm."

The eyes came more fully open and there was evidence of confusion in the young girl's eyes. The eyes shifted from one side of the room to the other as the confusion grew and mixed with fear.

"You're in the recovery room," Roy tied to calm his little princess down. "They're letting you wake up from the medicine they gave you so they could fix your shoulder."

Even thought her right shoulder was in a cast past her elbow her hand was free, unlike the other hand that was cast up past her elbow. Roy reached across his daughter and placed his fingers in her hand and she quickly tightened a grip on them. And her face began to show some calm, then suddenly her eyes flew open in sheer panic and fearing she was about to throw up Roy called for the nurse and started to roll her on her side.

"Chris, Chris got hurt again, you have to help Chris." Jenny called in panic and Roy sighed before bending down and kissing his daughter on the cheek.

"He's alright sweetheart, Chris is fine, they're going to keep him overnight to make sure but he's resting. Miss McCall is saving the other bed in his room for you. So you're going to see him in just a minute."

Calming slightly Jenny began to sob, "It's okay honey, everyone is going to be okay." Roy tried to sooth.

"M, m, Mr. Bunker was hurting Allen's arm again," Jenny sobbed. "I kicked him in the boy parts like you said."

"I know sweetheart you did what you had to do, you made him stop hurting Allen. Everybody's going to be alright. Some of them are a little sore but their all going to be just fine in a few days or some of them a few weeks."

Jenny continued to sob and Roy continued to brush the side of her face and kiss her forehead. It wasn't long before she was ready to be moved and before they did, Dixie came in with a very special triangular bandage. They had taken the time to untie the Barbie bandage instead of cutting it in the emergency room, because the know used was loose enough to do so easily, and now Dixie was there to put it back on in a way not to hurt her injured shoulder.

Roy continued to hold her hand as the gurney was moved and as soon as the door opened JoAnne was at her daughter's side. Once she was settled into her bed, Roy lifted his son up and carried him over to get a closer look at his sister and see for himself that she was all right. It still took some convincing with all the casts she has on but the more awake she got the more at ease big brother became.

Johnny stopped by every time he was in the hospital, he too needed to see that his niece was doing well; Cap even had the engine stop buy so he could check on his Sr. Medic and his family.

The next morning both children were released to go home and once at the house Roy carefully carried his daughter in wearing an over sized t-shirt, in fact Roy thought it looked familiar, while JoAnne steadied a sore Chris as he walked in the house and got comfortable on the sofa while Jenny was settled into the recliner.

Once his children were settled in and Sesame Street was playing on the TV, Roy stepped out to pick up what ever was left in the car and the news paper from the front side walk. Unfolding the paper as he walked in he saw a picture of his daughter pinned down on the school's roof top and her feet planted firmly in Mr. Bunker's, who was standing on her arm, boy parts. The picture was taken from a nearby roof top using a telephoto lens.

The caption read, "Controversy surrounding young girl's battle cry." The head lines were enough to get Roy's blood to start to boil. He chose not to read the article. He chose instead to just be with his children and help them to get through their recovery.

Instead of watching the news Roy read a story to his children, when they couldn't agree on which story they wanted read, Roy read both.

When the children were tucked in their beds for the night JoAnne came to her husband's side and checked them out herself before asking Roy if he wanted to catch the news with her. She understood when he said no, she and seen the newspaper in the trash she too was upset that any one would question what her children did and figured someone had made up the battle cry they were wondering about any way. The next morning after a phone call confirming it was acceptable Allen and Tracy were delivered, via protective services van, to play with Chris and Jenny for an hour and a half,"

Allen sported a fresh clean cast only up to his elbow this time, he reported that his mother was doing better, "they don't have to give her somebody else's blood any more, but the doctor says she has to stay in the hospital until the big lump on her leg goes away."

JoAnne made a phone call to the pastor of their church and asked him to stop in and see the woman explaining the situation.

Later that afternoon Dixie and Johnny showed up at the DeSoto house at nearly the same time claiming Miss Marlow had called and asked them to come. Miss Marlow showed up five minutes later with two men in tow, asking if they could speak with Roy and JoAnne in private.

Reluctantly Roy led to official guests to the back patio and offered them a seat; He then pulled a couple of chairs from the kitchen table for him and his wife.

"Okay What Now?" Roy asked as soon as his wife was seated but while he was still standing and holding on to the back or JoAnne's chair.

Miss Marlow gave him a look that said things were out of her control and glanced at the man at her left while the man at his left started taking notes of the conversation.

"To make a long story short Mr. DeSoto you're being accused of masterminding the altercations that took place at the Elementary school three days ago." The man spoke frankly and with no emotion in his voice.

"What?" Roy couldn't believe what he was hearing but everyone in the house could hear him yell.

"Mr. Bunker is holding you responsible for the injuries he received on the roof top he has," the man opened a file and read from a page in it, "required a surgery to his throat to enable him to breathe with out the aid of a respirator and two, as he claimed, very painful surgeries to repair damage to his reproductive organs. He is planning to use media footage taken from a neighboring building as evidence along with other media articles."

"Yeah well that media coverage better not be edited to keep from showing that he was standing on my daughter's arm and twisting the broken arm on a student he injured before." Roy continued to yell.

"Yes it has by the way but don't worry about it, we have all three of the originals," The man actually cracked a smile.

For the next two hours Roy was questioned and his statement recorded. He was advised to secure his own attorney and ordered to stand before a pre trial hearing in one week. But from the moment the attorney cracked a smile Roy had no fear, well maybe just enough fear to call a former fire chief gone lawyer for some advice.

Barney had watched the incident being debated and contorted in the news and was actually excited to take the case on and told Roy he had nothing to worry about it would be easy to prove self defense.

Both Chris and Jenny had nightmares that night and Roy and JoAnne spent the night snuggling them, in ways that wouldn't hurt them, and coaxing them to talk. In the early hours of the morning the children were finally eased back to sleep only to wake up screaming again less than an hour later. Chris had two bouts of hyperventilation where Roy had to help him breath into a paper bag. They were more traumatized by what they had done than what had been done to them.

Then next morning when it was reasonable to call someone Roy called the hospital to set up some counseling for his children. Dr. Brackett thought an emergency first visit was advisable and Roy listened to his daughter cry for nearly an hour because she had gotten him in trouble and she was sure he was now going to have to go to jail.

Jenny was assured that the situation was not as bad as she feared and that her father would very likely not go to jail. Both children were also prescribed sedatives for sleeping at least until the preliminary hearing was over. The physiatrist also invited himself to the hearing for the children's sake.


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Roy missed his next shift because of the charges filed against him but his Lawyer, a retired fire chief was able to argue at headquarters that being called in for a pretrial hearing did not equal charges being filed. Roy was allowed to return the following shift.

Roy found his station mates supportive and the night before the hearing Barney Olsen, Roy's lawyer, showed up at the station to give him a pep talk.

Barney also managed to get permission to sit in the fire engine for old time sake and spent the rest of the evening sharing fire stories with the rest of the guys. It was clear when he left that he wasn't worried about anything. Still Roy worried about his children having to testify and how traumatized they had been over everything that had happened.

The next morning Roy left for home early, his replacement arriving early to give him more time to get ready for his hearing, and quickly changed into his suit.

Chris was also in a suit but JoAnne had made a simple sundress with straps tied over the good shoulder for Jenny since her casts made dressing her a bit of a challenge. It didn't help any that Chris had written 'SUPER SISTER' across the chest portion of her cast in large bold print with bright red marker.

Jenny loved the idea but was frustrated every time she tried to read it in the mirror because the words were backwards to her.

In order to hide her daughter's advertised greatness, JoAnne draped a shawl made from a complimenting fabric around Jenny's shoulders and closed it in the front with a very colorful pin shaped like a butterfly.

Before the DeSoto family left for the courthouse they stood together in a circle and held hands. One casted and one held at an unnatural level but they were together and this was a show of solidarity.

Together they walked to the car and Roy helped Chris to fasten himself in with a pillow to protect his bruised abdominal muscles from being aggravated by the seat belt. Once Roy was behind the wheel he let out a deep breath and looked at each member of his family before starting the ignition and putting the car in reverse, backing out of the driveway.

At the courthouse Roy lifted his daughter into his arms as she slipped her casted arm around his neck, her casted shoulder forcing a posture of confidence that her face didn't agree with. Reporters started closing in as the family made their way inside but Barney the lawyer was quickly at their side, and with police officers, clearing the way for them.

Once inside the courtroom Roy was taken aback as he took in the sea of blue. His brothers in the department were there to support him, and not just his crewmates. The courtroom was also filled with the other children who had fought along side his children, and their parents and some trusted neighbors that Roy and his family had helped. Also there were Scout leaders Roy had assisted in teaching first aid, Dr. Brackett and Dr. Early were in attendance and Allen and Tracy Baldwin, with a court appointed guardian since their mother was still hospitalized.

Roy's eyes misted slightly but being surrounded by friends he squared his shoulders and followed Barney to where he was to sit his daughter down and then to the chair of the defendant.

When the judge came in and everyone was asked to stand, Jenny started whimpering. Roy turned to try and comfort her only to see his partner offering his hand to hold and whispering in her ear while uncle Chester was wiping her tears with his handkerchief. JoAnne had her arms around Chris who was also uptight, but trying beyond his years to be a man.

Every one was invited to have a seat and the judge explained that this was not a trial but rather a hearing to see if there was enough evidence to have a trial.

As always, the prosecution started with their claims as Mr. Bunker carried on about how Roy taught his daughter things she should never know and how she was so full of herself that she wouldn't listen to her elders, as he called them. He talked about the parents coming in and getting the principle to agree she didn't have to do what he said or even come to him when she was called. Then he called several of the boys who were involved in the fight and asked them to tell what Jenny yelled when the fight broke out.

"Get 'em in the boy parts!' is that what she yelled?" Mr. Bunker's lawyer asked the boy on the stand to repeat, then he showed his edited film showing Jenny's feet making contact with the teacher's reproductive organs but little else.

"That man has turned his kids into little monsters and he needs to be held accountable for his actions." He spoke like a hellfire and brimstone style preacher as he pointed at Roy.

As Angry as Roy was at the accusations and altered truth, not to mention the man calling his children monsters, it was all Roy could do to keep from laughing at the last show of superiority.

Barney gave Roy a smile and stood to the side of the table.

"Your honor I object to the film that was shown. There is no evidence in what we have seen that the foot that was so forcefully planted in Mr. Bunker's, let's say, private parts, for the sake of the young ones in this court, belonged to our Miss Jenny DeSoto. I also object to our young Jenny and her brother Chris being labeled as monsters."

"Well they are," Mr. Bunker spoke out of turn. "And I dare you to prove other wise."

The judge pounded his gavel on the desk and ordered Mr. Bunker to remain quiet or he would be taken back to his holding cell.

When order was restored Barney again spoke. "Your Honor, I do object to Mr. Bunker's words but I welcome the opportunity to prove that these children are not monsters. Not only for the purposes of this court but for their own sense of self worth."

"I'm not sure about proving the children aren't monsters, but it is necessary for this court to establish why young Jennifer DeSoto so actively and with malice sought out to and did inflict injury in the manner in which she did."

"Well in that case your honor, I propose that we start by calling Miss Jennifer DeSoto to the stand and ask her a few questions."

"Alright, Miss DeSoto to the stand, please."

Jenny stood up and started to step forward but stopped. "Mr. Judge person, can my Uncle John walk me up to you and help lift me on the chair?" There was a faint rumble through out the courtroom that was probably laughter and a little more.

"I believe that is an acceptable request," The judge responded and Jenny looked questioningly up at Johnny.

"He means yes, Kittles. Lets go," Johnny interpreted as he took hold of her hand and walked with her up to the chair and lifted her up.

She took one quick look at Mr. Bunker and he gave her the same threatening scowl that he usually gave to Jenny or anyone else who didn't do what he wanted them to do.

"Do I have to look at Mr. Bunker when I talk?" Jenny asked the man in the long black dress at her side.

"No, young lady. You can look any where you would like." The judge realized he needed to use younger words for this witness.

"Can my Uncle Johnny sit behind my daddy so that I can look at both of them?" Jenny asked.

"I think that would be all right as long as they don't try to tell you what to say." The judge agreed and Johnny traded places with the children's psychologist who was also in attendance.

"I don't think that will be a problem sir, because if I can hear them telling me what to say then so could you."

Roy shared a scoff with any one who could hear but he was still upset that his daughter had to endure the questioning ahead of her.

Then a man stepped up and asked her to raise her right arm.

"Which one is my right arm I can't remember?" Jenny asked, so the bailiff pointed to her arm in the shoulder cast. "But I can't raise it any higher than it is."

"Well then that will have to do," the judge agreed, seeing the girl's casts even though they were pretty well covered. "Recorder, make a note that Miss DeSoto is complying as much as she is physically able."

"Do you, Jennifer DeSoto, promise to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth?"

Jennifer looked confused then turned to the Judge. "Can I do all that and not break the confidentiality?"

"I'm not sure I understand what you're asking me, young lady."

Dr. Brackett rose to his feet and stood in the middle of the people who were sitting around him. "Your Honor, if I may, I'm sure I can answer Jenny's question."

A confused Judge gave the standing doctor a nod of his head.

"Jenny this is just like when we were in my office, remember? The judge there, needs to know everything you can tell him so he can do his job." He wanted to say 'to keep anyone from getting hurt,' but he knew better than to say that.

"Does that mean I can say yes to this man's question?" Jenny asked her favorite doctor.

"Yes, sweetheart. You can answer any question they ask you, just tell them the truth and everything will be all right," Kell assured the young girl.

"Okay," Jenny sighed and turned to look at the judge, "I promise, Sir. I'll do what you want me to do. I'll tell all the truth."

"Thank you young lady," the judge answered, realizing quickly that this small child took life very seriously. "Your witness." He turned the lawyer loose to ask his questions.

"Jenny my friend, is it true that you are a rescue worker?"

Jenny sat up straight and looked right at the lawyer who was asking the question. "I am a certified first responder. I know how to take care of people that are hurt until the ambulance and the paramedics arrive."

"Your honor, I would like to place into evidence copies of the certifications of first responders for both Jennifer and Christopher DeSoto. If you would like to see the originals you'll have to ask them to show them to you because they are very protective of those certificates. I would also like to place into evidence this affidavit and news article testifying that at the age of four, our young Jenny here saved a woman who was choking on a strawberry. She was awarded the Young Hero Award. These documents are from two doctors, two fire captains and three police officers as well as a construction contractor. They all tell the tale of a young girl who crawled underneath a dangerous shed to hold pressure on a lacerated artery of a young boy. Each one of these papers claim that boy would have died if Jenny here hadn't have risked her life to hold pressure on the bleeding wound. One of the doctors credit's young Jenny here for saving the boys leg. I also have several affidavits for her brother Christopher, who was on scene and was able to inform the police of the circumstances and then lead them to an expert who knew how to lift the shed so that the children could be rescued." He turned back to the young girl on the stand. "Do you remember that day Jenny?"

"Yeah. Joshua was my friend."

"Can you tell the judge here why your brother didn't crawl under that shed instead of you?"

"Chris was too big, he couldn't fit." Jenny answered, "Only I was small enough."

The lawyer talked more about Jenny's exploits and handed over documentation for each one, including reports from the school nurse, police reports and fire reports.

"Why did you help take care of the people in the automobile accident?" The lawyer had worked up to one of the more recent encounters where Jenny had performed first aid, being aware that he needed to leave many of the most recent accounts that had taken place at the school for later on. "After all you were just riding in the squad to get to the hospital where your mother was going to pick you up, and the paramedic was already there. Didn't you say you're just trained in what to do until the professionals arrive?"

"That was before I was certified," Jenny began to answer. There wasn't a person in the room who questioned her truthfulness. "Anyway there were two cars that crashed together and then bumped into the squad that my Daddy was driving. One of the cars had two people in it and the other one was clear full of girl scouts. There were nine people in there, plus two equals, eleven. That was more patients than my Daddy could take care of all by himself. I put some bandages and splints on the two people in the one car and watched them while my Daddy and the police officer that came first took care of all the people in the other car. Then when the girl scouts were carried to some place safe, Daddy told me where the blankets were in the squad and to wrap the girls up so they wouldn't go into shock. Then when the rest of the fire department came, the two people in the one car were starting to go into shock and there was a gasoline leak that had to be washed away with a fire hose and Daddy needed his friends to use special long metal sticks to open up all the car doors so that they could get the rest of the people out with out hurting them any worse. Captain Stanley asked me to take care of all the girl scouts while they worked on the really bad hurt people."

Barney managed to keep from laughing but he had the biggest smile he could have for the young lady on the witness stand.

"Okay Jenny, I think we have convinced the judge here, and most everyone else in the room, that you are not a monster. You are a very, very good little girl that has worked hard to learn how to help people and does her very best every chance she gets. Your Honor, I will add the last piece of paper I have in my hand at the moment to this stack of evidence. It is the disciplinary record from the school that shows no disciplinary action has ever been taken for Miss Jennifer or her brother Christopher, but that they both have been the victims of bullying during the last two years." Barney handed the last piece of paper to the judge who looked it over quickly then handed it to the bailiff to be processed.

"Now Jenny, we need to talk about some serious stuff… the kind of stuff I think your mom and dad have told a nice little girl like you not to talk about in public places like this, but the judge here needs to know what you've been taught about boy parts. Can you tell us what they have taught you and why they were teaching you?"

Jenny blushed bright red as Barney expected. "Am I supposed to tell him why I was taught first or after?" Jenny asked, confirming yet again she had not been coached.

"You can choose," Barney answered.

"Well, I was kinda little still. It was just before I started kindergarten and we visited Grandma and Grandpa DeSoto for a quick vacation. I needed to go to the potty and I didn't know that grandpa was in there. He forgot to lock the door. I thought something was wrong because he was standing up next to the toilet and his pee was coming out of a hose. It scared me 'cause I thought something was really bad wrong, but Daddy and Mommy sat with me in the tree house and told me that all boys have the hose the pee comes out of on the outside of their tummies while girls have them on the inside. They told me that's how God made all of us."

Jenny stopped abruptly feeling she had told the whole truth and she was sure everyone in the room knew where their hose was without her telling them. Judging by the red faces in the room, she was probably right.

"Jenny, that was very good," Barney spoke as he placed his hands on the rail around the witness chair and moved his feet backward, effectively bringing him face to face with the young girl he was questioning. "But we need to know how you learned that injuries to the boy parts were very painful."

"Well, um… I ah… sort 'a learned from lots a places." Jenny looked confused. "If I'm going to tell the whole truth I better start at the first time."

"That would be very good Jenny," Barney Olsen coached his witness onward. "Start at the first time you learned about how boys can get hurt."

"Well I can't remember for sure when," Jenny started and looked to her Daddy and Uncle Johnny for assurance. "Some of the mean boys at school like to shove their knees between other boy's legs and they hurt really, really bad. I have helped lots of them to the nurses office so she can take care of them cause I don't know how."

"Your Honor," Barney Olsen interrupted as he walked over to his table and picked up another stack of papers. "I would like to place into evidence the record of all injuries treated by the school nurse. Highlighted are the injuries to, let's stay consistent, 'Boy parts'. I also add the reports of action made on the 30 percent of the injuries where an assailant was named. I would like to bring to the attention of the court that twenty-eight out of thirty of the boys named were turned over to Mr. Bunker for disciplinary action. I would also like to point out to the court that 90 percent of the boys who named an assailant were injured again at a latter date."

The judge took the papers as they were handed to him and, after giving them a looking over, stacked them on the corner of his desk for the bailiff to process.

"Can you tell us about the other times you learned?" Barney coaxed Jenny to tell more.

"Well, when Chris… he's my brother… got punched up by lots of boys I got to go see him in the hospital and the Dr. had to give him medicine cause he was hurting an awful lot. He had this special bag hung on his hospital bed and Daddy just told me that it was there to test to see if he was bleeding in his pee. But nurse McCall told me later that the doctors had put a special hose inside Chris's outside hose to make sure Chris's hose kept working until he got better. Then Uncle Johnny came to the hospital and stayed with me until we could all go up to Chris's room and he told me that the reason Chris was hurting so bad was because boy parts were very tender and can get hurt sort 'a easy and when they get hit they hurt really, really bad."

"So your Uncle Johnny told you that when boy parts get hurt they hurt real bad. Did anyone tell you to hit boys in their boy parts?" Barney asked keeping a serious eye-to-eye contact with his young witness.

Jenny glanced at her daddy who gave her a nod, then back at Mr. Olsen standing in front of her.

"When we were coming home to get my sleeping bag and pajamas. Daddy looked really scared," Jenny spoke hesitantly. "Well Daddy told me to remember what Uncle Johnny said about boy parts and if any one tried to hurt me to kick them or hit them there to make them stop," Jenny finished.

"Did your Daddy ever tell you to hit a boy in his boy parts if he wasn't trying to hurt you?"

"No sir! He said only if a boy was trying to hurt me and that hitting them there would make them stop."

"So your daddy, who had spent several hours watching your brother after he had been hurt in the boy parts, just told you a way to keep a boy from hurting you?"

"Yes, Sir." Jenny answered.

Barney stepped back and gave the judge a nod. "That's all for now Your Honor." He then turned to Jenny. "Okay Jenny, I don't have any more questions for you right now but that other man at the other table wants to ask you a couple of questions. Just answer them with the same truth, okay?"

"Yes, Sir," Jenny answered as she turned a frightened face to her Daddy.

"All right now Miss, may I call you Jenny?" The prosecuting attorney gave Jenny a not so friendly look.

"Yes, Sir." Jenny answered and ducked down in her chair a little.

"Did your Daddy call a bunch of your school friends and their parents over to your house the night your brother was hurt?"

"No, Daddy didn't call 'em. The Connor family came over to talk to my Daddy about how he asked the principle not to make me go to Mr. Bunker if I didn't want to. Daddy told them about Miss Marlow and Mr. Connor asked to use the phone to call other people over to our house to talk to her and some policemen that she brought with her."

"And what did they talk about?"

"I don't know. Me and Mrs. Stanley took turns painting each others fingernails and toenails," Jenny answered.

"And did the rest of them all talk together in a group?"

"No, Mr. Stanley and Uncle Johnny talked to me and Daddy and then every family got to talk to their very own police person."

"So nobody talked about how to fight the boys they were worried about?"

"No. We were just told to stay together in a group and stay away from the mean boys." Jenny answered, and at that point the Prosecuting Attorney knew he wasn't going to get the kind of information he was wanting.

"That's all, Your Honor."

The Judge then looked to Barney Olsen. "Do you have any questions to ask on redirect?"

"No your Honor, but I would like to enter into evidence these reports of assaults that were filed by officers that were called to the DeSoto home. It took no less than eight officers to fill out these reports. I think we can be assured that nothing was said there that was against the law."


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

"Okay Miss DeSoto do you need some help to get down from that chair?"

"A little bit please," Jenny asked as she started to use her feet against the chair rails to try and scoot herself closer to the edge of the seat.

"Would you like your Daddy or your Uncle to help you?"

"I don't think that policeman with the gun will let my Daddy help me," Jenny spoke softly only intending the judge to hear her.

"He will, if I tell him to." The judge smiled, he wanted to laugh but realized how frightening this room was to a child of Jenny's age.

With a nod and a wave of a hand Roy was allowed to come forward and lift his plaster confined daughter into his arms and give her a reassuring hug as he carried her to her mother who gave her a kiss on the cheek before her father sat her down in a chair before returning to his.

"Mr. Olsen," The judge addressed as he looked over several pieces of paper on his desk. "I see you have several other juveniles on your list of witnesses. Do any of them have anything new to add to this case?"

"They each have their own story your Honor but they will all confirm that my client Mr. DeSoto did in no way instruct them in any form of combat. Only that they were allowed to meet in his home to discuss the treatment they have been getting from fellow students at school."

"Thank you, you may be seated." The judge instructed before picking up other papers and looking them over.

"Mr. Malcolm?" The prosecuting attorney rose to his feet at the judges understood command, but remained behind the table at attention. "DO you have any other evidence that the defendant, Mr. DeSoto had any involvement in the altercations that took place at the school?"

Mr. Malcolm looked down at his papers laying on the table in front of him and then at his client before he very unwillingly looked to the judge, "No your Honor."

"In that case I find no evidence what so ever to substantiate the charges filed against the defendant and no reason to continue this hearing or to bind Roy DeSoto over for trial. Case dismissed."

There was still enough seriousness to be dealt with in a court of law concerning the altercations at the school. That in it's self kept the gathered group from sending up near defining cheers but there were loud sighs of relief and any one with in reach, reached out and gave Roy a slap on the back or the shoulder as he hugged his wife before taking hold of his children's hands.

The psychologist that had been working with the children to help them overcome the trauma of the incident had already made arrangements for a room for the family to gather in after the hearing. They were quickly guided there and as Roy entered behind his family he noticed his brothers from the department taking up positions to guard the door.

The Children were encouraged to talk about what had happened and their feelings. It was no surprise that they were still frightened of Mr. Bunker or that they were scared of the numerous up coming trials they would have to attend and testify at since each one of the boys involved were being tried individually and there was still the trial for Mr. Bunker that had the biggest fear. When they were through talking the children were again assured that they were loved and that they had done nothing wrong nor were any of their feelings wrong. They were told again that they could talk to their parents about any thing and would not get in trouble for what ever they said.

When the talking was over the DeSoto family made their way to their car with an accompaniment of off duty firemen to stand in the way of the press that had lots of questions they wanted to film the family answering. Roy was grateful for his department brothers, the press knew the answers they were seeking they could live with out their faces on the TV screen and front pages of the news papers.

Mr. Bunker was held with out bail pending the out come of his trial. Pending the outcome of the rest of the trials Mr. Bunker's class was relocated to a more secure facility. Not something their parents were happy about. The former Marine substitute teacher spoke to the school board in behalf of the students and worked things out so that they would not be treated as prisoners during their school time. Some of the boys had some harsh restrictions after school but during the school hours they were treated the same as the rest of the boys as the whole class was taught that fighting was always and only a last resort. A curriculum of non violent problems solving was implemented along with a very rugged physical fitness program that seemed to be bringing about even greater results than Mr. Bunker could claim. Of course they still had to learn their Math, English and science in addition to the special curriculum.

The following week Chris returned to school with supervised indoor recesses for a while until his stomach muscle healed. Allen had been moved to another class so he didn't have to go to the secured facility with the rest of Mr. Bunker's students since he was still in a cast he was allowed to stay with Chris and play board games during recess.

Jenny however couldn't go back to school just yet. With her arms and shoulders casted the way they were she could not do any school work and any effort to do so was frustrating and painful as the effort aggravated her shoulder and collar bone. A student Aid would come by every other day to spend an hour or more if deemed needed to help Jenny stay up on her school work and all the reports and assignments were given verbally.

Also with the confinement of the casts Jenny couldn't get a spoon to her mouth so she had to be hand feed. Help was offered by Miss Marlow from protective services but JoAnne assured her that she could handle the job and she was allowed to. Jenny also needed help going to the bathroom since she couldn't pull her pants down herself or clean up after the fact because the casts wouldn't let her arms move that way. It would be a while before she would return to school but she welcomed visits from her teacher who brought get well notes from her classmates.

Mother and daughter spend hours just sitting and talking. Sharing each other's feelings and thoughts on how to solve the problems of the world and what to fix for dinner and everything in between, it all somehow filled the days.

In the quiet of the evening after the children were tucked into their beds JoAnne marveled at the thoughts that came from her children. Counseling was paying off and they were beginning to come to grips with everything but Jo and Roy were determined to keep the counseling going through all the trials that lay ahead.

It was learned that some form of counseling was being given to the rest of the students with some needing more than others but that things were getting back to normal, for the students that is. The School board was being very aggressive at finding out how such a problem could go on for as long as it did with out someone noticing. An advocacy group was showing them what they didn't want to know, that it was going on else where also.

Mrs. Baldwin was finally released from the hospital but required to spend most of her time in bed. A social worker was assigned to keep an eye on the situation and several of the neighbors came forward to help out and soon her refrigerator was filled with meals that could easily be reheated. When the word got out that Mr. Bunker targeted the Baldwin children because of their worn out, and out grown clothes; boxes and bags of gently used and out grown clothing came for everywhere for the children to wear, they thought it was Christmas. There were even a couple of rebuilt bikes and pairs of like new roller skates delivered for the children including some gently loved dolls for Tracy and a ball and mitt for Allen, for when his arm healed.

Their mother felt ashamed to be in such need but an older grandmotherly neighbor was able to help her get over it.

Roy returned to work but made extra calls home.

After returning from a series of back to back runs Roy found his lawyer Barney Olsen helping to polish the fire engine and talking up a blue streak with Mike, Chet and Marco.

John volunteered to catch up the log and learned that the man had been there for three hours waiting for Roy to return.

Cap and John moved their paperwork to the kitchen so that Roy and Barney could discuss things in the privacy of the office.

"All right Barney what's wrong now?" Roy asked as soon as he shut the door and turned to face the man who was fast becoming a friend, the kind of friend who would always tell it like it is not caring how you might respond.

"Well, not wrong, in fact it's good, I think," Barney spoke with a confusing look on his face as he motioned for Roy to sit across from him.

"I've been having a few meetings with Mr. Bunker and his Lawyer, working with the prosecuting attorney, showing him the evidence against him, reading the psyche evaluation reports, the statements of his boys as well as the other children who were hurt." Barney rambled slightly and Roy just listened and wondered where all this was going to lead. "The old boy doesn't stand a chance and I think he's even beginning to understand that."

Barney paused and looked around the office as if he were looking for something then turned back to Roy. "He's done this before you know. In Texas at a military boarding school there and then again in Arizona, that's when his wife took their two sons and left him. He reportedly came here trying to find them. It's going to take the psychologists a while to decide for sure what makes him tick, but there seems to be evidence in his back ground that he was raised by an abusive father who used the same methods he's been using and like Mr. Bunker himself received several awards for his work with troubled youth."

"Sadly I don't think he'll do any real hard time but I'm pretty sure he's going to be banned from teaching again, at least in this state."

"It's a totally insane world we live in you know," Barney paused to wax poetic and philosophize a moment. "The man is taught by his father and not only does no one interferer they give the man awards for his actions. Then he grows up and does just what he was taught and gets those same awards and no one seems to see the harm that's being done."

"Do you know that a he has to have a court appointed supervisor present before he can speak to his own children but no one thought twice about letting him loose with a whole class full of over active and troubled kids."

"When you look at everything you find yourself questioning your own parenting skills," Barney added.

Roy just sat listening unsure what to feel or do next. When Barney realized he was rambling and got back on topic, it was becoming clear to Roy that there were parts of this case that were getting to his lawyer. The realization of a human side to his lawyer, made Roy that much more grateful for this man who was defending him and his family.

"Well anyway this after noon we came to the agreement that he'll plead guilty and not make us go through a full trial."

"That means the kids won't have to testify?" Roy sat up straighter in his seat afraid to be too hopeful.

"That's what it means, but you'll all still have to be there and there is still a chance that he'll change his mind. The man truly believed he was doing these boys a service and helping them become what he feels society wants from them and he has the awards to back up his beliefs."

"Of course no matter what happens Wednesday, we'll still have to take on the rest of the trials one at a time. And the children will most likely be asked a few questions during the sentencing phase for Mr. Bunker."

Barney bought in for supper and again entertained the men with fire stories of days gone by until an alarm called them out on a three alarm factory fire.

Later that night when the men were trickling out of the locker room ready to turn in Cap followed Roy into the kitchen where he found him standing with his back toward the door, hands on his hips and in deep thought. Cap stepped to the side just enough to catch Roy's facial expressions and watched him chew on his lip and fight back his emotions for just a moment before he silently stepped up to his side and gave his shoulder a good squeeze.

"I don't understand it all Cap," Roy finally spoke after about five minutes. "I just don't understand how something that is so wrong can seem so right." "How can we validate the kind of behavior that was taking place with awards and now how do we undo it all?"

Cap didn't even try to answer.


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

The next court dates were for two of Mr. Bunker's boys. They were tried separately but on the same day making for a very long day for little Jennifer. Her cast was starting to itch horrendously and the day was hot. Even with the air-conditioning in the court house Jennifer was miserable. It was more than JoAnne could do to keep the scarf around Jenny's shoulders in an attempt to hide the 'Super Sister' design across her casted chest.

Barney had managed to use the surveillance camera footage to prevent the need for either of the children to testify but they still had to be there.

As they sat as a family Roy had managed to bring some comic books for the kids to read still he was lifting Jennifer on his lap and setting her down again almost constantly and letting her lean against him and rub up and down trying to get her cast to do some of the itching.

The gathered crowd was much smaller in the individual trials for the boys and during the second of the trials Roy found himself focusing on one person in the back that had been at the first trial but had not been called on to testify.

In both cases the boys were sentenced to a counseling group home away from their parents and the parents were also ordered to get some counseling. One boy seemed slightly sorry for what he had done the other was still mad at the world and loudly declared he had been wronged and that life wasn't fare.

Roy worried his children would feel the boys had gotten off easy but he felt the punishment was appropriate. The boys were only doing what they had been taught and needed to be taught a better way.

Fortunately the next day Jennifer's casts were removed and replaced with smaller ones. The cast for her shoulder and caller bone was still across her chest and down the one arm but it stopped before her elbow this time allowing much more motion. The cast on her other arm immobilized the wrist but only went up to her elbow allowing her to be able to bend both elbows. She could now feed herself and go to the potty by herself but most of all they scrubbed the dead skin off and rubbed some lotion in before they put the new casts on and the itching stopped at least for a while.

JoAnne was thrilled that the 'Super Sister' logo was now gone but much to her dismay it was redone, bolder and in purple and orange, before bedtime.

Jenny was able to return to school but still had an aid to help her with her school work since her writing hand was still in a cast and the school wanted to make sure she was protected. Roy and JoAnne both walked Jenny to the bus that first day and stood holding each other as the bus drove away.

Neither of them had said a word but they had noticed that the first responder bag with the triangular bandages, stethoscope and blood pressure cuff had remained hanging on the door knob in her room. They had to wonder what the long term effect was going to be on their little girl.

The next four trials were much the same as the first two, the next three the children were not required to attend but Roy did because he wanted to know what was being done to make sure there wouldn't be another incident. At each of the trials he noticed the same man in the court room and Roy learned that he was the retired Marine who had taken on the bunch of ill taught boys in an attempt to unteach what had been taught.

More importantly each of the boys became individuals to Roy as he listened to each of their stories. Some Roy was sure were just plain hardened Criminals in their youth, he questioned if they would ever amount to much. Others were from broken or abusive homes and were just acting out what they were being taught. One young man was watching his father die a slow and painful death to cancer and he was angry, and acting out. Roy was grateful when counseling was ordered for the parents as well and that at least some sort of intervention was taking place.

The counseling sessions for the children were going well and Roy attended with them as often as he wasn't working. It was after the last of the boys agreed to counseling out of court that the councilor asked to speak with the parents alone after one session.

"I have been approached by one of the councilors that is working with several of the other children that were involved in this incident and we all agree that it would be for the better good for all of the children involved if there were a few group sessions involving all of the children." The councilor proposed to the parents.

At first Roy was filled with instant reluctance to allow the bullies that had hurt his children anywhere near them again but then he took a deep breath and let the thoughts of the last few weeks bring reason to his mind.

The councilor was quick to let them know that there would be plenty of adult supervision at these sessions and that everything would be well structured and controlled.

Roy looked at his wife and held her hand, "These boys are going to be returned to their homes, that is where they belong and they will be in the same schools as our children, its best if we do what we can to work out some kind of friendlier standings between the kids."

"I know your right Roy, but I'm scared," JoAnne admitted.

"So am I," Roy also admitted, "But it's the right thing to do."

The first meeting was held in a basketball gym, as they were waiting for the door to be open some of the parents were making it clear that they didn't think the 'good kids' were any better than their kids because the 'good kids' actually inflicted more damage than the so called bad kids.

It was the retired Marine that stepped in to calm the shouting and when the doors were opened the group quickly divided with the good kids and their parents on one side of the gym and the troubled kids and their parents on the other side. There wasn't a lot of talking and no one could hear when there was.

Roy was quick to notice the number of children on the other side who only had a mother with them. There were a few on his side too and some he knew that the father was just working but the number of single parent kids was far greater on the other side.

That was something that Roy talked about a lot during his next shift and Captain Stanley was willing to help the discussion along as the mostly bachelor crew got a lesson on how important fathers and male role models were in a child's life. They talked about the father's that worked two and three jobs to pay for things and how the children suffered when they weren't home to spend time with their children teaching them how to be children first and then responsible adults.

Marco would later report spending more time with his nephew and helping him with a science project. Chet admitted thinking about volunteering for a local big brother organization but wasn't sure. Mike they would find out agreed to be an assistant little liege foot ball coach on his days off and would later be rewarded when one of his players managed to pull his younger brother and sister out of and apartment fire before the fire department got there, and then hurried to Mike to tell him about a neighbor who was still inside. That's how everyone found out about Mike being the assistant coach, he never would have told on himself.

John seemed to change his approach towards the children they worked on with their job and would talk about the difference in the kids who had involved parents apposed to those who didn't, while they were riding in the squad. Mostly John seemed to be afraid of fatherhood seeming to doubt his ability. Hank's wife would later be heard telling JoAnne how her husband was spending more time with their children and taking a more active roll in their school activities.

The next group session was held in a much smaller room. There was still plenty of room for every one. And the groups still set up with the 'good kids' on one side and the 'trouble kids' on the other.

Through his conversations at work Roy had begun to realize that for things to get better this needed to change and after talking with his wife and children on the third group session Roy and his family carefully found a seat next to your young boy who's father had terminal Cancer. Roy made sure he sat between his family and the 'troubled kids' and that his children were between he and JoAnne and well protected. His move was noted and some of the 'Good families' just glared but others joined them on the other side realizing the same thing Roy had.

By the third session the councilors and leaders had managed to get the participants talking and one of the boys that had been on the roof timidly rose his hand three times only to pull it down again when the speaker looked in his direction.

It was the Retired Marine that stood up and said. "I think this young man has a question he would like to ask," and then stood behind the young man encouraging him to stand and with a hand on his shoulder waited for him to speak.

"I, um, well, I want to ask a question to the First Aid Girl that was on the roof with us that day." the boy finally got out and Roy tensed up knowing that the question to come was being directed to his daughter.

Jenny had just gotten her casts off that day and was still a little stiff so her father helped her to stand and then with his hands under her arms lifted her till she was standing on the bench next to him.

Jenny was nervous enough that she didn't say anything but she did nod her head to indicate she was ready for the question. She then put her arm around her father's neck to make sure he stayed close.

"When we were on the roof that day and Mr. Bunker was telling us about what we needed to do to be leaders," the boy talked with uneasiness to his voice and major lack of confidence to his appearance.  
"You told him that he was only half right. What did you mean?"

Roy could tell by the look on Jenny's face that she was surprised by the question. She turned to him as if she wanted him to tell her what to say but Roy couldn't answer this question for her he didn't know what she had been thinking or what she was thinking now. Some how he also knew she needed to answer the question for herself as well.

"Well um," Jenny started before the speaker asked her to wait until he could bring her a microphone.

When the lead councilor climbed the steps in front of her and placed the microphone up to her mouth the first thing Jenny did was start chewing on her fingers.

Roy reached up and took a hold of her hand and pulled it away from her mouth, "Just tell him what you feel and think Jenny there's no wrong answer to that question." He whispered in her ear.

"Leaders don't hurt people," Jenny blurted out, "and nobody is a leader in everything, there are people that lead in jump rope and other kids lead in monkey bars. And someone else leads in base ball. But leaders are supposed to help people. In school the reading leaders help others learn to read better and the same with the math leaders. Jesus was a leader and he washed his peoples feet when they were dirty. Mr. Bunker always wanted to be the leader he didn't take turns and he hurt people when they didn't do what he wanted them to do. That's not being a leader that's being mean."

When Jenny was done she turned to her father who still had his arm around her and returned her fingers to her mouth. She had answered the question and impressed the room with her answer. Roy looked over to the boy who had asked the question and saw that he was in deep thought he then turned and spoke quietly with the person behind him and the two of them were still talking quietly with the meeting ended and everyone was heading home.

00000

The next shift Roy and John responded to a man down call and were met at the sidewalk by the boy Roy had learned was fighting with his father's terminal illness.

"Please, it's my dad, you got a help him," the boy begged as Roy and John gathered their equipment. Roy wanted to let his partner in on the hopeless nature of the father's situation but John was hurrying too fast to get to the boy's father.

Once inside they found the mother and a younger daughter at the father's bedside, the mother quickly informed Johnny of the terminal nature of her husband's condition and both paramedics could tell with one look that the end was near as they watched the man fight to breath. Rampart was able to prescribe treatment that helped and as the man was being loaded into the ambulance Roy could see the boy beating on a padded support beam to the car port.

"Randy please come," the mother called as she lifted her daughter into the front of the ambulance, but Randy continued to hit with doubled fists and kick at the padding.

"Ma'am, I can bring him with me in the squad if that's permissible." Roy offered, "Give him a moment to let out some frustration."

"Are you sure," the woman responded, she knew who Roy was, "you know he's one of the boys who-"

Roy held up his hand to stop the woman. "This is different, I know he's having a hard time with what is going on with his father and that he's being taught to take is frustrations out on support beams instead of other people now. Seems to me someone who's going through what he's going through should be allowed to get some of that out before he's expected to sit still in a hospital for who knows how long."

The woman nod her head at Roy, "Thank you."

Roy helped her inside then shut the door and watched as the ambulance was on it's way. He then just walked over and let Randy continue to kick and hit with out making an effort to stop him.

When the boy finally collapsed in tears Roy quietly stepped closer and placed a hand on the boys shoulder before gently pulling him into his shoulder and allowing him to cry.

As they rode to the hospital once Randy had gained some control the cab was quiet and Roy allowed it to remain so.

"How come you're being so nice to me?" Randy asked, "You know I'm one of the boys that beat the crap out of Chris."

"Yes I know," Roy answered and thought on his words carefully, "What you did to my son wasn't right but I understand you a little bit. I know what you're going through is really rough right now."

"Yea it sucks," Randy cut in, "SO what are you going to do about it?"

"Sadly there isn't a whole lot I can do about it." Roy admitted, "But someone recently reminded me about someone who taught that we should treat all people the way we want to be treated and I know if my Dad was as sick as you dad is that I'd like someone to let me know it's alright to cry and that that doesn't make you a baby. I also know that your dad can't give you a hug right now but I'm also sure that he wants to so I kind a, gave him some help."

At the hospital Roy walked with Randy to his mother's side before leaving the family together to wait until their husband and father was settled in his room. Johnny confirmed that the end was as close as they had felt it was and Roy begged a moment to make a phone call before they returned to the station.

Three car wrecks, an apartment fire with 13 smoke inhalation patients and a small brush fire later the crew was waiting for dinner to be ready when a guest was led into the station. It was the retired Marine that Roy was growing in admiration of over the last several weeks.

"Hello," Roy extended a hand and the two men shook. The man's name Was Tyler James, Roy knew from asking for his name of a friend so that he could give him a call but the two had never been formally introduced.

"Randy Martial's father passed away about an hour ago." Tyler informed Roy, "Thanks for giving me a call, I told Randy that I'd be there for him your phone call made it possible for me to do so."

"I've been watching you with all of those boys," Roy reveled, "You seem to really be making a difference."

"That's nice of you to say but you and your family made as much or more of a difference when you agreed to sit with my boys during the group sessions." Tyler commented, "And what that daughter of yours said at the last meeting sure has my boys talking and thinking. They all really admire your children, I don't know if you know that,"

The stunned look on Roy's face must have answered for him because Tyler continued to speak, "They had been convinced that your Son and Daughter were breaking all the rules and needed to be taught a lesson but they also admire and are a little jealous of what they've been able to accomplish. We've talked a lot about what and how they've done the things they do."

"I didn't know." Roy finally responded.

"The reason I'm here is that Randy asked if you could be one of the pall bearers at his father's funeral later this week and I told him that I'd ask you."

"Me?" Again Roy was surprised.

"They don't have a lot of family and the husband has been down for long enough that he doesn't have many friends who have stuck around to help him fight this loosing battle. They could really use the help and you really made an impression on Randy when you gave him a ride to the hospital."

Roy sighed, "Of course I'll help, what day for sure? I may need to get a replacement for work so that I can come."

"I'll have to let you know they're still finalizing the dates and times with the pastor and the mortuary."

Business was concluded and Mr. James left. When Roy didn't return after walking him to the door Cap went in search of his missing man.

Roy was found still standing at the door looking out on a road where a car was no longer parked, it was clear his thoughts were deep.

"Penny for your thoughts," Cap commented as he placed a hand on the man's shoulder.

Roy turned to look at his captain but remained in deep thought. "I'm confused mostly Cap, everything is so complicated, Each one of those boys that were causing trouble have their own problems that their trying to learn how to deal with and now that they have the right help some of them are doing better, others I know are destined for a life of anger and trouble with the law. All their needs are so varied, how do you know where to start or what to do to make a difference?"

Hank smiled at his paramedic, "Seems to me you've made a couple of positive steps already, you just have to live a good life and not be part of the problem, sometimes that's all it takes. It's amazing how the biggest difference is sometimes made by the littlest thing. And don't forget all the kids you keep from becoming troubled kids."

00000

The day of the funeral Chris accompanied his father. Jenny had declined the invitation because the funeral thing with dead people and all was just too much for her.

On the drive home Roy and his son talked at length about what it must be like to grow up with out a father and the danger of Roy's work was talked about again in great depth. It was Chris's idea to invite Randy to join the Scout troop and Roy applauded his idea.

When they arrived home via the scenic route past the malt shop Roy found his partner's car parked on the curb with his partner sitting behind the wheel.

Pulling into the driveway Roy got out and waved his son in the house before he walked over to the open driver's window to see just what his partner was up to.

"Hi there," Roy greeted in confusion, "What brings you by?"

Johnny looked at his partner and took in then let out a deep breath, "I spent a good hour and a half on the phone with your daughter today." Johnny said then watched to see if he needed to duck a punch coming his way.

"With Jenny? Why are you calling my daughter can't you find someone your own age?" Roy joked but was confused.

"I didn't call her she called me." Johnny quickly set the facts right, "She was asking if I ever wanted to give up being a paramedic and if I thought about not going back to work after I've been hurt. I think she's trying to decide weather or not to start carrying her little first aid purse again. Like I said we talked for over an hour and a half and I tried real hard not to say anything that would influence her one way or another. We talked about all the options either of us could think about and I encouraged her to talk to you. I wanted to talk to you too and tell you that she called me so that you could maybe talk to her and get her to tell you what she's thinking. That way you can influence her the way you want and I won't screw things up. I just thought her parents should be involved in this more than a family friend if you know what I mean."

"Yeah Johnny I know what you mean and thanks, for talking to Jennifer and giving her an outlet and for telling me. I really appreciate it." Roy rest his hand on the open window. "Would you like to join us for dinner?"

"No I think I'll go find someone my own age to have dinner with," Johnny teased back before he reached down and turned his ignition to make his point. After sharing a smile Johnny put his Rover in gear and pulled out and Roy walked thoughtfully into the house.


	21. Chapter 21

Here's the last chapter, I feel an epilogue coming on but we'll see. Thank you for hanging in there with me on this and I apologize now for any typos my beta is a little on the busy side and I decided to give her a break this time.

Chapter 21

Roy walked into the house and looked at the questioning look from his wife. "What did Johnny want?"

"TO tell me Jenny called him and talked for an hour and a half," Roy answered, "She's been in her room all morning I checked on her several times at first but decided she must need some time to herself. I thought it was Dixie she was talking to."

"Apparently not," Roy smiled at the knowledge that his wife was aware that they're daughter was on the phone. "Shall we go and see if we can get her to talk to us for a while, at least let her know that we love her and want her to talk to us."

"Just like the councilor has been telling us to do all these weeks?" JoAnne sighed and hung her head.

"Yeah," Roy answered as he took his lovely wife by the hand and led the way to Jenny's room.

"I should have tried harder to get her to talk earlier," JoAnne lamented as they climbed the stairs together.

"From what little Johnny told me I think she did need to talk to someone else this time," Roy reached around his wife's shoulders and pulled her close. "He thinks she's trying to decide about going back to being the first aid girl."

Once there they found the girl asleep with tear streaked cheeks and Roy found her favorite blanket at the foot of the bed and covered her with it before he and his wife sat on opposite sides of the bed and rubbed their little girls back as she slept.

The next day was a school holiday and both children slept in, but Roy had to report for work. At roll call it was announced that there was going to be a group of school board dignitaries coming by the station for a tour and to ask questions about the new 'first Responder training that Roy's children had been involved in advertising. "Roy and John I'm going to let you take that tour since you're so involved with that program."

When they separated to perform their assignments Johnny was quick to Roy's side and his body language made it clear that he was waiting to be told something but he didn't say much.

"Did you and Jenny talk?" John finally couldn't take it any more.

Roy stopped and sat on the running board, "No, she had cried herself to sleep so we just snuggled her."

Then Roy looked up at his partner with a realization, "was she real upset when she talked to you?"

John gave his partner a troubled look and nod his head affirmatively. "She's really mixed up, totally confused. Most of what she talked about didn't make a lot of sense but I could tell it did to her. She's worried you'll be upset no matter what she chooses to do."

Roy let out a major sigh and leaned back against the squad, "I've been on an emotional roller costar about her and this first aid roll she's taken on, since she was watching me teach the boys. I should have known that this could happen."

"Look partner, I'll go get started on mopping the bay why don't you go give her a call and at least let her know you, , Sorry I'm out of line." Johnny stammered and didn't finish his statement.

"No Partner, I don't think you are. I think you have an objective view of what's going on here, it's been that way from the beginning, she always knew you would tell her what to do in a crisis until help arrived, I would waist that time asking her how she got into that situation in the first place. I've had the hardest time seeing her as something other than my little girl, my very little girl." There was an understanding silence between the two as they finished up with the counting and calibrating then Roy placed a hand on John's shoulder. "Thanks, for everything you've done, if you don't mind I'll take you up on the offer to start with out me while I make a phone call."

John just smiled and shooed him on his way.

It took him a while but Roy was able to get Jenny talking even though he could tell she had her fingers in her mouth most of the time, and just as Johnny had said she was worried about a great many things that were not true worries but they were real to her none the less. Roy learned she blamed herself for her brother getting beaten and was shouldering a large amount of the blame for the brawl that ended on the roof of the school. She also blamed herself for the very popular teacher Mr. Bunker being sent to Jail.

Roy also recognized that she needed to be reminded of the good that she has done. He then tried his best to tell her that none of the bad things that had happened were her fault. Before he was done on the phone Roy spoke to his wife and asked her to bring the children by the station after their counseling session. He figured that would be after the big tour he and Johnny were supposed to conduct so he'd be free to talk with his children as long as there wasn't a run. He then called the councilor and asked him to talk with his daughter about those things that worried her most.

Roy then silently joined his partner in mopping the bay and Johnny could tell he was thinking hard so he let the silence linger.

The radio chatter was entertaining but none of those interesting calls came in for station 51 while the floor was being mopped. The silence continued through a cup of coffee and then a second then the claxons rang loud and long. Grass fire next to the freeway, the wind was blowing hard and the grass was dry. They had to get to it and get it out fast.

As the water was flowing from the hoses one of the firemen saw the motorcycle at the bottom of the hill. They could tell by the burn pattern that it was his bike that had started the fire and it was a sheer miracle that the wind had blown the flames away from him and to that miracle he owed his very life. Still two paramedics risked their life to get to him and get him away from the flames. He had some burns on his feel and legs and injuries from the accident that put him at the bottom of the hill, his condition was serious and moving toward critical they had to move fast and couldn't stop once they were away from the fire. The fire was under control by the time the ambulance arrived and out before the patient was packaged and ready to load. Both paramedics were put to work in the treatment room for nearly thirty minutes once they arrived to help get the man stable enough to take to surgery.

When the squad finally backed into the station Roy and John rolled out covered with soot to find a soot covered Captain Stanley conducting the tour they had been assigned during roll call. The questions were heavy on the new first responder training program and Captain Stanley was quick to turn their attention to the newly arrived experts as they climbed out of the squad.

The group was moved into the break room and invited to sit as John answered a few questions about the program and what it is intended to do.

"We are not trying to train paramedics and we don't encourage anyone to go looking for people in need of help, the program is designed simply to help people know what they can do before we or other emergency personnel arrive. A simple thing like holding pressure on a bleeding wound or maintaining an airway can mean the difference between life and death. Knowing not to move an injured person can also prevent further injury before we get there." John explained.

"But how can you possible train them not to just panic and freeze up at the sight of blood?" one of the women in the group asked.

"Knowing what to do in a crisis is the best way to prevent total panic. Even the slightest amount of training can help them deal with the situation." Roy explained.

"There is power in knowing that the best thing to do is nothing. That's what they would have done anyway but trained they know it's the right thing to do and can with some confidence just talk to the patient and keep them calm until we arrive," John added as he rubbed some of the soot from his face. "Or if they need to do something the dispatcher will usually jog their memory while they're asking the question they need to ask so that they can tell us what we need to know."

Roy and John were so involved with their question and answer session that they didn't notice that a newly showered Mike had answered the door and was guiding JoAnne, Chris and Jennifer to the back of the squad where they could wait for their dad to finish up his tour that had been delayed by the work that they do.

"We have been researching the problem with bullies and child abuse in our schools," an authoritative sounding man began. "There is a student at one of our elementary schools that has made dramatic progress in reporting these cases because the rest of the students will come to her for help. I believe that student is one of you men's daughter. What I want to know is, is there a training program that can help us with getting a student like her in all of out schools."

John just looked at Roy and Roy placed his hands in his pants pockets and looked at the floor for a moment. He then looked up and into the eyes of his audience only to see the eyes of his daughter standing in the doorway having over heard the question about herself, her mother standing behind her and her brother at her side.

"Yes," Roy began with a smile and moisture welling up in his eyes. "The student that you speak of is my daughter, and I couldn't be more proud of her and the things she has accomplished. Sadly however I don't think that all of the traits that have made Jenny the wonderful person she is can be taught. Jenny started by watching me teach her brother's Boy Scout troop basic first aid skills. The same kind of first aid that is being taught in the first responder class we have been discussing. If you look you will find several students in every school that have learned most of what Jenny knows and makes a difference with. Not all students have the confidence to act on those skills, most students are taught to stand back and let grown ups do all the work. Many are so busy with their own lives that they don't know when their help could be used until someone else has taken care of things.

Jenny makes a difference every day because she cares and the other children know it. They also are willing to come to her because they know she won't be telling every one she sees what they did or what they tell her. Skills we can teach but Jenny has a true love for what she learns and for being able to make a difference that we can't teach."

"I think there have been some policies that have been made at the school where Jenny attends," Roy continued, "That can certainly be copied in other schools. Jenny has made very good friends with the school nurse and has learned that said nurse will listen to her. When Jenny can't put her arm around an injured student and guide them to the nurse she can go to the nurse and tell her about the injured student and the nurse will follow up. I personally have no idea how often my daughter performs that act, I have only recently become aware of what a difference she has made. If I were you I'd be looking for boy scouts and girl scouts and supporting those programs and others like them. Set up a policy were they can get acquainted with the school nurse's and know they can talk to them and will be listened to. But I'm afraid I have to tell you that Jenny is one of a kind and there is no mold to make more of her. However I might, just maybe get her to tell you some of the things that help her do what she does so well."

With that statement Roy held his arms out and motioned with his fingers for Jenny to come to him. JoAnne gave a slight nudge and she stumbled forward a few insecure steps before looking at the gathered scary grown ups and running to the safety of her father's arms. As Roy stooped down and gathered his daughter in his arms he looked up and noticed Chris peaking in the door and motioned for him to come also. He lifted Jenny up and sat her on the edge of the table with his arm around her shoulders and stretched his other arm around his son at his side.

"These two are what you're trying to recreate why don't you ask them what you can do to make it easier for children like them to help and look out for other children.

"Tell the teachers to let us do what we know how to do and stop pushing us out of the way." Chris was quickest to speak up. "I once had a teacher push me out of the way and then watched as they tried to make one of my friends walk on what turned out to be a broken leg."

"I remember that," Roy spoke up, "the boy's family lives on our block and more damage was done to his leg that took the boy longer to heal."

"Yes but what percentage of playground injuries are actually broken bones?" one of the dignitaries spoke up.

"The first rule of first aid is to do no harm," Jenny spoke up with a flare of anger in her voice, "If it hurts to try and move it or walk on it then they shouldn't be doing it. What you stupid grown ups need to do is start listening when we kids talk to you. You have to take time to look at everything not just hurry and make them go back to class."

The room stood silent for a moment once Jenny had said her piece. But when Roy didn't say what the dignitaries thought should be said one of them spoke up.

"Don't you teach your children to speak with respect?"

Roy took a deep breath and pulled his daughter closer in a protective hold. "The so called incident at the school where my daughter and several others were corralled, beaten and four of them hauled on the roof of the school took a great toll on my daughter, she spent weeks in a body cast because of the injuries she received that day and her mother and I with the help of professional councilors have been working hard ever since to get her to talk about her feelings. True what she just said was less than respectful and it was spoken in anger, but I have no intentions of punishing her, what she said is true, Adults are slow to listen to children her age. I have to admit that Jenny here has had to teach me how to listen.

When it comes right down to it I think that is the most important move you can make for the safety of your schools is to teach the adults to listen to what they're being told and take it seriously. Before any student can do what Jenny had done they will have to be listened to. The reason Jenny has been so successful is that when one person doesn't listen she finds another person who will even if she has to talk with several different adults until she finds one who will listen. I think most of the children are getting the message we send them that adults don't want to know, and that is why the problems with Mr. Bunker got so far out of hand and why you have such a big problem in your other schools. So in effect the adults are being stupid when they don't listen to what the children have to say because they are the ones who know what is happening to them and they may only find the courage to speak up once."

"I am one of the people young Jenny here has called," Captain Stanley stepped in to the conversation, "when other adults haven't listened or have tried to quiet her with big words that she didn't understand. I can tell you this, when miss Jenny here is on the phone asking to talk to me before I pick up the phone I tell the closet man to gather the crew and be ready to respond, she may be young but she knows when people need help and has made a real effort to learn how to help them and so has her brother. I wouldn't hesitate one minute to respond this station and all its rescores' on their request."

By now Jenny was bashfully burrowing her face in her father's shoulder as she stood on the chair at his side. Chris smiled with pride at his father's side and Roy just looked at his wife and smiled at her as he held his daughter and son.

There was another moment of tense silence then another of the dignitaries spoke again. "Young Jenny is not the first to call us stupid and before we get this problem worked out she will likely not be the last. What Fireman DeSoto and his Captain have said here today is true and I think if we look back at our actions we have to admit some guilt, We have seen in the records that we have been looking over from the last several months that there is a problem and we did come here today to try and learn how to train children to solve that problem for us, But before they can do that, we have to make a few changes on our end. What was it you said was the first rule of first aid again?"

Rather than just give the answer Roy and Chris prompted Jenny to speak up once more.

Slowly she turned away from her father's shoulder and timidly looked at the gathered people. "The first rule is to do no harm. That means it's okay to splint something even if it isn't broken because that's better than not splinting it if it is." She spoke much more calmly than she had before, and then added, "I'm sorry I called you stupid it wasn't nice but I was mad cuz grown ups don't listen and kids get hurt."

"Apology accepted," two people spoke up at the same time, then the groups spokesperson added, "And I would like to apologize for not listening better to you young lady, and thank you for all that you've done in spite of us. I know we came here today looking for answers and I believe we've found some. They weren't what we thought we were looking for but they were what we needed to solve the problems at hand or at least start to solve the problems at hand. Thank you, thank you for being honest and forthright. And to young Jenny and Chris DeSoto, thank you for the example you have set and the good you have done."

The spokesperson began to clap and the others in the group joined in so did the firemen of station 51 from the captain on down. Roy had his hands full with his pride and joys so he didn't clap but their mother did.

Captain Stanley led the dignitaries to their cars and when he returned he found four firemen clueless as what to do as young Jenny still stood on the chair with her face buried in her father's shoulder crying uncontrollable. Roy just held her tight not making and effort to get her to stop while JoAnne had stepped up and was rubbing the young girls back and her brother was holding one of her hands with both of his.

At one point Roy reached down and scooped the young girl in his arms, she had cried herself to sleep.

The crew allowed Roy to carry his daughter to the car and he woke her up slightly as he buckled her in, "We are going to have a long talk when I get home tomorrow okay." She made no response, "I love you sweetheart and I'm very proud of you."

Roy then turned and placing his hand on the back of his son's head pulled him into his stomach, "that goes for you too son."

Roy allowed Chris to buckle his own seatbelt as he helped his wife in behind the wheel.

00000

Sometime during the night the station responded to a traffic accident and while Roy was working to extricate a victim he managed to cut his shin on a jagged piece of mettle in the car. Not a serious injury but bad enough that once he was stitched up and medicated for pain he was given the rest of the shift off and taken home where Johnny and McGuire placed him between them and helped him into the house and up to his room before leaving him for JoAnne to get ready for bed.

When the pain meds wore off and Roy woke up, the arms that were holding him tight were not his wife's they belonged to his daughter. Shifting to find a more comfortable position brought her immediately to a sitting position at his side.

"Do you need me to go get Mommy?" Jenny asked.

"Na, I'm alright, it's just a little cut on my leg." Roy shifted in bed again scooting up and pulling a pillow behind his back as he rested against the headboard, doing everything he could to let his little girl know that everything was alright. "I'll get to go back to work next shift, the doctors just needed to give me some medicine that made me a little sleepy last night that's all and I can't drive the squad and be giving people medicine if I'm a little sleepy because I might make a mistake."

Jenny stayed sitting on the bed at his side but slouched a little so Roy pulled her against his chest and gave her a hug and rubbed her arm and shoulder while ducking his head in an effort to look her in the eyes.

"Do you really like to go to work daddy?" Jenny asked lifting her head so that the two could see eye to eye.

"Most of the time," Roy answered. "I like to be able to help people."

"But before you help people they have to get hurt or in some kind of predicament?" Jenny questioned and Roy had to smile at her choosing the word predicament.

"Yeah they do, but people get hurt and in all kinds of predicaments every day, weather I'm at work or not it feels kind of nice to be able to help them." Roy responded and watched as Jenny rested her head back down on his chest in thought. He noticed she had leaned in a little so that her ear was over his heart and knew she was seeking the comfort of his heart beat while she thought.

"Did I ever tell you that Mr. James told me that most of those mean boys were jealous of you and Chris for what you know how to do?"

"Really?" Jenny leaned up on an elbow and looked into her dads eyes to make sure he was telling the truth.

"That's what he tells me."

"Why didn't they just help me?" Jenny asked.

"Probably because they didn't know how or even that they could, remember what you and Chris said about how big people just push you out of the way sometimes."

"Yeah," Jenny went back to her thinking position and Roy wrapped both arms around her and held her to him rocking back and forth very slightly.

"I think things are going to change a little in that regard." Roy talked while he daughter thought, "It's going to take a while and you'll still have to teach a few people to listen to you but I think the word is getting out that kids are people too."

Jenny brought her hand up to her father's stomach and stayed against his heart as they swayed on the bed.

"Do I scare you when I do first aid?" Jenny asked with her head still against her father's chest but when he didn't answer quickly she sat up straight and looked at him.

"Sometimes," Roy reluctantly admitted after thinking and feeling honesty was the best approach.

"Is it because I don't do it very good?"

"No," Roy spoke quickly, "that's not the reason at all."

"Why then?"

"Because I don't want you to get hurt," Roy answered with his hand on his daughter's shoulder.

"How can I get hurt when I put a splint on?" Jenny was confused.

"Well you probably won't get hurt putting a splint on but remember the time you climbed under that shed when Joshua hurt his leg. With all those chemicals, and the time the man who liked to hurt kids came to the school looking for you saying he needed some first aid? And let's not forget the day you didn't come home on the bus because you went to a stranger's house to see if you could help. You had no idea what you could have been walking in to that day young lady."

Jenny's face showed some understanding, "that shed was really scary, so was helping the baby be born but Joshua was bleeding really bad and I was the only one who could hold the ar-artillery to stop it, and the Baldwins are our friends now."

Roy smiled, "the word is Artery not artillery." "I was even frightened of you getting hurt when you helped me at that traffic accident the day you got to ride in the squad. It's one of those things us Daddy's do is worry about their kids getting hurt. We know of ways you can get hurt that you have never thought of before and we have a responsibility to teach you how to stay safe. But I do have to say something else. I worry less because I know you know how to take care of a hurt if it happens than I would if you didn't. And I feel a lot better knowing that you will ask for help if you need it and not try and take care of everything yourself."

"Uncle Johnny said that it's the teacher's responsibility to take care of us kids if we get hurt at school. Does that mean I'm not supposed to help?"

"No, not exactly," Roy spoke after a moment of thought. "It means you don't have to help if you don't want to or are afraid to. But it doesn't mean that you can't."

"That's good because the teachers need my help sometimes. They always think they're not really hurt when they are." Jenny looked at her dad and he just rested and looked back at her with a smile on his face.

"I think I better go make sure I have everything in my bag." Jenny sighed somewhat happily. "it's been a long time since I've looked in it."

Roy could only think of one thing to say to let her know it was alright with him, "Would you like some help?"

Jenny climbed off the bed and turned to see if her father needed any help. When Roy put his feet on the floor he could feel the pull of the stitches in his shin but he schooled his expression so not to worry his daughter and slowly followed her to her room. Roy sat on his daughter's bed while she grabbed her bag and unzipped it before laying it out on the bed next to him. There were several empty pockets in need of some more triangular bandages, and maybe some room for some more rolled strips of bed sheets, and she really needed some more Band-Aids.

While Roy looked the bag over Jenny crawled under her bed and pulled out the large container filled with replacement supplies and pulled off the lid. Father and daughter were debating between stripped triangular bandages or race cars or ponies when Chris came in to join in the discussion.

"I lost my triangular bandage when they cut my pants off at the hospital. Could I get another one?" Chris requested.

"I think there are plenty here for you to have one," Roy volunteered. There was easily over a hundred triangular bandages cut from used sheets and stuffed in little plastic bags in his daughters supply box and Roy knew there was a tall stack of sheets waiting to be cut into more once these were used up. Something he never doubted would happen.

"Maybe I can take some extra ones just incase some one else wants to have one." Jenny suggested. "I could teach them how to use them at recess."

Chris liked that idea and was soon picking out prints that he thought some of his friends would like to carry.

After breakfast JoAnne and Roy walked their children to the bus stop and stood with them as they waited. They watched as Jenny and Chris shared the triangular bandages with their friends at the bus stop until they were gone and then watched as they climbed on the bus.

Not all of their childhood problems were going to be solved by triangular bandages but Roy had just seen more uses for the things than he had ever though of or been taught.


	22. Chapter 22

Epilogue

During recesses there were nearly always a few students gathered near one of the large brick planters. They were all learning how to use triangular bandages. the favorite use at least for several of the boys was to tie them over their mouth and nose and calling out, "this is a stick up," while pointing their fingers at someone else. But they did learn a few other things.

The school board representatives that were sent to help monitor the play ground during recess and to watch the young first responder in action to note of these activities, learning a thing or two as they watched and one of them even asked young Jenny why she was teaching other kids how to use the triangular bandages.

"My Daddy told me that some of the boys that were being mean were jealous of me. I don't want that to happen again. Every body can do this kind of thing if they want to learn," Was Jenny's answer.

A couple of months latter the school board had managed to work with a pharmaceutical supply company and each student was presented their own first responder kit. It was nothing really spectacular just a small plastic bag with a triangular bandage, made from plain cloth no colors or prints on them, a gauze pad and half a dozen adhesive bandage strips (generic Band-Aids).

Some students kept them in their pockets like Chris Desoto, some put them in their desks, others in their back packs and yet others never remember what they did with theirs.

Still something stuck with them. The day two children were swinging from their knees on the monkey bars and managed to collide hitting their heads and breaking open a gash in each of the girl's foreheads several students knew what to do.

Before anyone even thought to call for Jenny four students went into action, two of them even had their first responder kit on their person at the time. When Jenny did arrive she found that both of the girls had pressure applied to their wounds but wasn't able to hide the giggle at what she saw. One boy had just placed the whole kit, plastic bag and all, over the wound and was holding pressure bringing the bleeding under control quickly. The other person had pulled the gauze pad out of her kit and was holding pressure but she hadn't taken the paper wrapper off first.

Still some how Jenny realized that the goal was achieved and the bleeding was under control on both girls. Both patients knew what had happened and their name and neither girl was crying any more so Jenny suggested they be taken to the nurse's office. Two students on either side of the two that were injured and Jenny led the way holding up her nurse pass as teachers moved back in awe that any student could learn how to handle an emergency not just the children of a paramedic.

The school nurse was quick to replace the used kits for each student and stories of students helping students started coming in all over the district. At the school the DeSoto children attended more and more of the students felt comfortable when a student was injured. If they suspected a broken bone they still sent for Jenny and her bag with the newspaper splints, and colorful bandages, then they sent for a teacher.

Children were still mean to each other, children still got bullied, and children were still hit and abused at home but a force to help each other was started. Some schools tried harder to match the colorful triangular bandages Jenny was known for. The TV news even covered an event where the children of one school got together at an afterschool gathering and tie dyed their plain ones. Jenny just sat on the living room floor in front of the TV and laughed and her parents laughed with her.

They also cried with pride, the world had become a little be better in their neck of the woods and their little girl was part of the reason for it.


End file.
